Sanguis Potestas Est
by OKBooey31
Summary: "Every king needs an heir," Klaus had said with pursed lips and a shrug. But Elijah knew. He knew from the first time his brother had uttered his first nonchalant acceptance of having a child. He knew his brother would one day recognize the dormant and dusty emotion and they would all come out for the better. TO/TVD crossover. Klaroline with some Klayley. M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N 1.0: hello there:) sorry I've been pretty absent, especially with _In Shadow_ but you can't really ignore inspiration when it hits you lol. This is a TO AU piece I've been working on for months now. it started out as a harmless little Klaroline onesie that quickly grew to be nearly 14.5K words of repetitive angst with no direction whatsoever. so after plenty of brainstorming, wadding papers up and throwing them away in a dramatic fashion, flailing about on the floor, writer's block, crying, banging my head against a wall and staring at the computer screen with bleary eyes here it is: part 1 of a 5 piece tale about everyone's favorite (or least favorite) spinoff and baby plot. **

**Let me say right now that this IS a Klaroline story- that never changed, you just have to get through 2 parts of Klaus' perspective and an interlude of Elijah's/New Orleans drama to get there. Let me also say that the events of this story have _nothing _whatsoever to do with a dislike of the direction taken by TO- I greatly enjoyed all aspects of the pilot and this is simply what I see happening logically *insert your own joke about TVD/TO writer's logic here* or what I would do were I in charge of TO (I wish...) since I've had a very particular, positive view on the baby plot and Klaus' redemption in regards to it since the backdoor pilot aired. but yeah...I'm a TO supporter all the way- Klayley baby and all.**

**anywho...this is quite monstrous- the original doc I uploaded to FF numbered 10K words and the other parts are similar in length...well from what I can say they will all be similar in length. Thanks a billion to _djangelynn_ both over here and on Tumblr for being an awesome person and agreeing to Beta this madness. there aren't words to express how much I love you for helping me out:) **

**So, I'll catch ya on the flip side and without further ado I present to you the piece that nearly stole Kaitlin's sanity and (is still taking over) took over her writing life for a ridiculous amount of time. A.K.A. _Sanguis Potestas Est._ **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries or The Originals. **

* * *

**_Sanguis Potestas Est_**

i. deus ex machina

It starts with a knock that both brothers ignore.

Klaus leans over the kitchen counter, nursing a glass filled with blood while Elijah paces in front of him, fastening the buttons of his pristine dress shirt while preaching about how Klaus simply can't do this because the possible repercussions pose too great of a risk.

Klaus only scoffs, hiding a derisive snort in his lowball glass. Elijah's concerns hold no merit in Klaus' book - of that, Klaus is certain - and one would think that after nearly a millennia of standing at Klaus' side, his brother would stop trying to burden Klaus with his own worries.

The insistent pounding - it's as if whatever higher power exists thinks Klaus needs one more interminable sound floating around in his head - stops only for the front door to swing open and collide with the adjacent wall, the loud _bang _reverberating through their home. Both brothers turn to appraise the person who has joined them- one with pin-straight blonde hair and electric blue eyes, her button nose scrunched up in extreme displeasure. Klaus watches as she looks away and, in her typical dramatic fashion, makes a show of dropping her luggage onto the tiled floor with a thud and he thinks the vein in Elijah's forehead may, in fact, burst because they _just _finished with the renovations.

(Not that Klaus wouldn't find that extremely amusing, he's been waiting patiently for the day it happens for a millennia now.)

Rebekah crosses her arms when she's done, popping her hip as if to say she isn't to be messed with and turns her gaze back up to them, eyes narrowing as they take in their surroundings. "Oh, don't let me stop you," she snaps. "Not now that neither of you bothered answering your phones to pick me up nor did you stop your bickering long enough to answer the bloody door!"

"Perhaps you should have told us to expect you and things may have turned out a bit differently," Klaus says. "Except that would have taken away the dramatic flare of barging in at eight in the morning to point out how incredibly disgruntled you are that the moral compass of familial relations and a summer spent with everyone's favorite down-to-earth, small town quarterback guilt tripped you into joining us."

Rebekah's mouth opens to retort when Elijah sighs and interrupts. "Forgive us, Rebekah. I'm only attempting to advise Niklaus against yet another foolish errand," Elijah amends, choosing a different and annoyingly gentler tactic to appease Rebekah.

"His entire existence is a foolish errand, 'Lijah. I would have hoped you had caught on to that by now."

Klaus makes no attempt to hide his amusement as he brings his nearly empty tumbler to his lips to finish off its contents and peers at Rebekah over the lip, the sticky residue clinging to the crystal in his peripherals. "Now, now, sister. We've only just been reunited must we be so hostile?"

"Yes. I'm still upset with you."

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm. Very much so and I would love nothing more than to be a first hand witness to you making a complete fool of yourself during this entire venture. So here I am."

Klaus merely cocks a brow at her and steps around the counter, setting his glass down as he does so, and inches closer to her, devilish smirk firmly in place. "Unfortunately for you, sweet sister, I won't be making a fool of myself. I will come out on top of all phases of this venture, starting with today and, no, Elijah, there is nothing you can say to dissuade me."

"Niklaus-"

"No, Elijah. I entertained your apprehensions but now," he glances at the clock and then at the doorway, listening intently for the she-wolf whom he had explicitly told to be ready before eight the night before - it's nearly quarter after - "I really must be off." He nods at Elijah with a tight-lipped smile before walking out of the kitchen only to be followed by both insufferable siblings.

"And where are you running off to?" Rebekah asks.

"He's determined to find the elusive New Orleans pack off a single, ludicrous tip he received from a suspicious source."

Klaus rolls his eyes, turning away as the two exchange a look; he's never stopped them from thinking whatever they please. He needs to do this and nothing is going to stop him. "Hayley! Let's get a move on, love," he calls up the stairs.

The brunette descends the stairs dressed in jeans and grey top that disguises her slightly swollen and still growing belly with her light ash-brown hair up in a ponytail. She slows to a stop. "Who the hell is that?" she asks, looking Rebekah up and down.

Rebekah's jaw drops and she returns the look Hayley's sending her way. "And you couldn't have impregnated someone with manners?"

Klaus groans inwardly. He'd forgotten that Rebekah was daggered while Hayley had been roaming about Mystic Falls, creating more problems than solving. And then his sister had been off gallivanting after the cure during their tryst. "Rebekah, Hayley. Hayley, Rebekah. Now, lets go."

"Wait, you're taking her with you?"

Klaus smirks. Of course he's taking Hayley with him - not that his siblings understand the full implications of that- he and Hayley are a breeding pair. It was completely unintentional but, regardless, here they are with a baby on the way. And not only a breeding pair but he's the oldest werewolf in the world. A werewolf _and _a vampire- undisputed strength and size. Quite simply, Klaus is beyond tired of twiddling his thumbs, idly playing by Sophie's innumerable (and mostly unknown) rules. He's gotten a couple nightwalkers to join his underground, brewing Coup d'Etat but there's strength in numbers and if he can't get the vampire followers he wants then why not turn to another species he's the rightful king of, one that should be just as spiteful as the witches about being forced out of a place they'd called home long before the Louisiana had even been settled?

And then there's the fact that not only is he a powerful werewolf leading the cause but the female carrying his child is a long lost member of this elusive pack and he _had _made a deal with Hayley back at the beginning of this whole ordeal about finding her family.

It makes perfect sense to Klaus: he gains followers, Hayley finds her family; killing two birds with one stone as it were.

"I was laying in a box with a dagger through my heart while she was in town. Or did you conveniently forget that detail?" Rebekah snaps. "Sue me for being curious about the girl carrying the only child this family will ever have. It's a pity it has to be yours."

Klaus growls and glares at Rebekah. There's only so much of her attitude he can take- she's still upset and that's nothing new. Once it flares, Rebekah's temper is worse than his- she's spiteful and vengeful in the form of holding grudges while Klaus can normally reign in his anger by tearing out a few hearts. If Rebekah's decided to hold a grudge, then there's nothing he can do but let it run its course.

Besides, fatherhood is not his first choice, not even remotely close. It's something he's uncomfortable with at best and he lets himself shut down, lets his temper flare a bit whenever the topic's brought up. He has to make this unexpected arrangement work, he's fully aware that there's no other option. Life is a game that he intends to win so if a baby is in his cards then so be it, he'll play the hand that's been dealt to him. He's working through it and figuring it out…or he will be figuring it out- there's no way in hell he's going to be a worse father than Mikael was and that's all Klaus really knows at the moment.

"Enough," Elijah barks. "Both of you," he adds, looking between Klaus and Rebekah with a warning in his deep brown orbs before Klaus can snarl back at her. It's funny, a thousand years and that _one_ look from Elijah always makes him take a figurative step back and Klaus figures it always will- it's his nagging guilt trip and he loathes it. "Forgive us for the family reunion, Hayley. We weren't aware Rebekah would be joining us this morning."

Hayley shrugs, moving the rest of the way down the stairs. "No problem," she says before skirting around them all to wander into the kitchen.

Klaus watches her go, his narrowed eyes not leaving her once until she's out of his sight around the wall. She's a bit pale and moving a little lethargically for his tastes which is not typical of the feisty she-wolf. He catches Elijah's pointed gaze out of the corner of his eye and tosses his head back slightly, rolling his neck. "We're going," he insists.

His brother sighs and finishes buttoning the cuff of his shirt before shoving a hand in his pocket. "Very well. Be mindful, Niklaus. Watch out for her."

He growls again, the only response he gives his brother, and doesn't care if it makes him look like a spoiled child upset at being told what to do. It's not like he'd leave Hayley to fend for herself even if the only reasons she's with him are for his own personal vendettas. He needs her alive.

He strides off after Hayley, more than ready to get out the door. "Are you ready?"

She peers at him from around the refrigerator door and slams it shut it with a bottle of water in hand. "It's not like I have much of a choice, is it?" she snaps, glaring him down while taking a drink from her water bottle.

With a tight-lipped, sarcastic smile- he has little patience already and Hayley's attitude is wearing it even thinner- Klaus dips his head and heads towards the door.

* * *

Still out in the hallway, Rebekah clears her throat once Klaus and Hayley are gone, the sound of the tires on Klaus' SUV rolling over the pavement and down the street faded from their ears. "He's tracking werewolves again?"

Elijah nods stiffly, adjusting his collar while looking in a decorative mirror hanging on the wall. "Hayley was born a member of the New Orleans pack and Niklaus offered to help her track them down while we're here. But, knowing our brother, he's sure to have some unknown scheme up his sleeve. Fortunately, he seems to have moved on from his hybrid obsession, thanks to Kol's death. He's made progress over the past couple months, believe it or not, and I really have no interest in revisiting his juvenile obsession with building an unnecessary army. A regression to that frame of mind would only do more harm than good with everything we've accomplished and are planning to move forward with."

The fact that Elijah still loves Katherine and holds some kind of torch for Elena bleeds through in the tone of his voice and if the situation were any different then Rebekah would have snorted and demanded to know which room is hers. But there's a humongous pink elephant in the room that needs to be addressed in the worst way possible.

So instead of the indignant roll of her eyes she wishes she could put on display, her eyes growing wide and worried. She knows that there's truly not a leash strong enough to hold her wayward brother back if he's tempted enough and that's why it's imperative she keeps things as quiet as possible.

"Rebekah?" Elijah asks, returning his full attention to her. "What is it?'

She swallows hard and drags her eyes up to his inquisitive face. "We may have a problem."

* * *

It's a three-hour car ride to the pack's supposed location. The late summer sun streams through the tinted windows of the black SUV and warms the interior as they maneuver down the barren highway with nothing but the air conditioning and the radio diffusing the tension between them, both of which Hayley keeps adjusting much to Klaus' annoyance. The she-wolf fidgets constantly- the fabric of her jeans scratching against the leather of the seat, a hand running through her hair before reaching for the controls- radio, air conditioning, radio, air conditioning- on the dashboard.

"Is everything alright?" he finally snaps, trying to the very best of his abilities to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Hayley is quite low on his already short list of enjoyable people (and oh how the feeling is mutual) but they're stuck together whether they like it or not so there's no need to be completely nasty towards each other at all points of interaction. Not when they have to live with the consequences of their drunken little tryst and get along for the sake of said consequence to the best of their abilities; the reminder of which is constantly pounding in Klaus' ears, floating around in his brain.

_Thump-thump,_ _thump-thump_.

"Well your kid's decided to be as infuriating as you and lodge his foot up underneath my ribcage and doesn't seem to want to move it anytime soon, I puked my guts out for the umpteenth time this week only two and a half hours ago, my hormones are killing me which isn't helping the fact that I'm potentially meeting my long lost family today."

"Anything else?" he asks in a sardonic tone.

It's a rhetorical question and Hayley only 'hhmphs' before turning her body away from him to look out the window.

Klaus keeps to himself and taps his thumbs against the steering wheel; there's no point in engaging her further. If he's being completely truthful, he's a bit apprehensive himself and that's a fact Hayley has no business knowing. He's tired of waiting around for things to set into motion in the French Quarter. He's more than ready to take this revolution into his own hands, to regain control from Sophie. His hands have been tied behind his back (figuratively, of course) and he _despises _it.

Call him dramatic, but the wolves are his last hope for some kind of leverage, some sense of control and there's no guarantee they're even still around. They may have given up on all hope of reclaiming a land that's rightfully theirs but he's sorely hoping that's not the case.

Before long, they turn off the highway. The exit is in the middle of nowhere, the bayou thick around the shiny black SUV- layers of grey and green and gold as they venture down a dusty, seemingly abandoned gravel driveway framed by large trees and Spanish moss. It comes to a dead end and Klaus parks the car, looking around and extending his senses as far as he can from the confines of the car.

And if they're anything to go by, it feels as if he's entering an enemy camp, tucked away into hiding just like the pack he and Stefan had found in Tennessee the previous summer.

There are werewolves here, he's sure of it and it seems like Hayley senses them, too.

"What now?" she asks without so much of a glance in his direction, her eyes wandering over the bush outside of the car.

The hybrid purses his lips and scans the area one more time. "I hope you aren't opposed to a bit of a hike." He takes the keys out of the ignition and opens the door to be greeted by the Louisiana heat and humidity, not that it bothers him all that much. Hayley jumps out of the car after him, slamming the door shut behind her and Klaus hears her tread after him carefully, the gravel crunching underneath her boots and her breathing already slightly labored. Klaus turns to look back at her over his shoulder with a raised, questioning brow.

"What? Afraid I can't handle another alligator bayou?"

He presses on without a second thought, entering the growth. Except Hayley doesn't follow. Gritting his teeth, he turns back around to see her deliberating, her bottom lip clenched between her teeth.

"Can your blood heal a snake bite? Because we're in the middle of nowhere and if I get bitten by a Copperhead or Cottonmouth or some other venomous snake that lives here, I swear to god I will freak out and if I die, I will haunt you from the grave for the rest of your existence."

Klaus shakes his head in disbelief because of all things this girl has done to cross him, to earn her name a spot at the top of his 'wanted: dead or alive' list, she's afraid of snakes? He pushes the chuckle away because the rational part of him figures she does have a point- who knows what deliberating effects venom, and anti-venom for that matter, would have on her in her state.

But he's a hybrid. If he's somehow fertilei then his blood should be more than capable of healing snakebites should one occur- he's never exactly experimented with this situation before and now he hopes he won't have to; at least not today. So he nods and it seems to be enough for Hayley because she pushes past his proffered hand and marches ahead of him into the swamp.

Klaus has no idea how long they've been wandering. There's no trail, nothing whatsoever for them to follow other than a very faint scent on the air. It's slow going, as well, with cautious steps and several breaks in between. With his unborn son's heartbeat pounding loudly in his ears, Klaus picks their path carefully once he regains the lead from the snarky brunette, making sure Hayley's not lagging behind him.

They come to an opening in their nonexistent trail. It looks like a campground; the vegetation on the ground is replaced by a mixture of fallen pine needles and gravel. Klaus spots what seems to be a path towards his left. He glances at Hayley, looking her up and down, listening to her heartbeat- it's easier than simply asking if she's rested enough to continue. She's been good about saying when she needs to stop, though, so Klaus figures she'll have no trouble speaking her mind. She catches his gaze raises a perfectly shaped brow at him.

"Lost?"

Klaus narrows his eyes and his retort is resting on his lips when he picks up the scent of gasoline and hears roaring engines, head snapping in the direction of the sound. "No. It would seem that we've been found."

Two ATVs burst through the trail and one skids to a stop before the other. The girl turns her head to look at her companion, laughing loudly over the roar of the engines. She hops off the vehicle and pulls the key out of the ignition before turning to face the hybrid and Hayley.

"Oh my god!" she exclaims, a wide smile crossing her face as she pushes a mess of strawberry blonde curls from her face. "Hayley?!"

The corners of Hayley's lips begin to tug upwards into a genuine smile but it fades as soon as she lays eyes on the girl's companion.

Before words of warning can leave Hayley's mouth, Klaus flashes up to Tyler Lockwood, invading the younger hybrid's space. "Why aren't you in Mystic Falls?" he demands, the words coming out in a snarl. A look of confusion and surprise passes over Tyler's face and he opens his mouth to respond but the girl standing beside him beats him to the punch.

"I guess this is him? Not really what I pictured, Ty. Except for the 'not overly thrilled to see you' thing- he hit that right on the nose," the forgotten girl says, circling around the hybrids, Hayley forgotten in place of the sudden commotion.

"And who would you be?" Klaus asks, barely sparing the girl a glance. All he can tell from his quick once-over is that she's a scrap of a girl, with confidence that oozes from her freckled skin, clad in cut-off jean shorts and black tank top.

"Sam," she says with a tight smile as she passes around Tyler's back from circling around the two hybrids, the grass crunching lightly underneath her combat boots. "You must be Klaus."

The hybrid narrows his eyes at the girl. She's a wolf that much he can tell but he was told he'd be meeting with the alpha of the New Orleans pack not more sycophant teenagers- he'd had more than his fair share of those in his _beloved_ Mystic Falls.

"Forgive me, sweetheart, but as much as I would enjoy chatting away with the welcoming committee, I do have business to attend to, so if we could move this party along, I'd be most obliged."

The redhead scoffs and then laughs. "Welcoming Committee? As if." She throws an eye roll in for good measure. "I hate to break it you ya, Klaus, but you aren't meeting with the Alpha."

Klaus raises his chin and growls. "Excuse me?"

Tyler shoots the girl a warning. "He doesn't play well with others, Sam," the younger hybrid says and every ounce of disdain Klaus feels for the boy goes straight to his head and he's about 3.5 seconds from ripping Tyler's off when Sam speaks again.

"I meant that you aren't talking to the alpha because he's not _ready _to hear you. But someone else is. Someone just as influential,"

Klaus' attention snaps to her, narrowed eyes flitting between her and Tyler with his chin raised, because if she means Tyler Lockwood has come in here and risen through the ranks of this pack to stage another usurpation of power, he will lose it. "And who might that be?"

Sam smiles widely, not showing any teeth but the gesture is still plenty gleeful and she stands up a bit taller. "Me."

The hybrid blinks and backs up a few steps to observe the girl because she can't be serious. With frizzy and wild strawberry-blonde waves falling to her shoulders and mischievous blue-green eyes, a barely visible scar underneath one, she just comes up to Tyler's shoulder but her arms are crossed over her chest in boredom as she looks between the two hybrids. She's a mere child, can't be older than seventeen and that alone causes Klaus to laugh sardonically.

"What's so funny?" Sam deadpans with a cocked brow.

This time, it's Klaus whom Tyler tries to warn. "Just hear her out, okay?"

"You know," he says in sarcastic thoughtfulness, "the last two times I 'heard someone out' I wound up with her," he gestures to Hayley over his shoulder, "in my bed and then a month and a half later, I'm being told she's carrying my child." Tyler's eyes find Hayley's wherever she's standing behind Klaus and the Original watches the boy's eyebrows shoot up into his hairline in surprise and Klaus thinks, if Tyler's playing nicely of course, he'll give the lad a word of warning about hybrid fertility…if not, well, it'd be sickly amusing for Tyler to find out of his own volition. "So, you'd see why I'm not terribly keen to hear anyone out."

"Well if you want the loyalty of _my_ pack then you'll listen up." The girl has had enough, there's a fire in her eyes as she drops her arms and begins circling again, this time out of agitation. "The Alpha's not gonna listen to you. He's lived in exile his entire life and prefers to keep his head low because he's ashamed of being a wolf and several of the older members follow his lead but there are some of us who are tired of hiding."

"And you're one of them?" Klaus asks.

"I'm the ringleader."

Klaus growls. This whole errand is no longer amusing. He wanted an army of full-grown wolves, not a pup, the Lockwood boy, and a nonexistent pack. He turns around, striding back to Hayley so he can drag her back through the bush and back to New Orleans because has been a complete waste of his time. He can gather vampire followers faster than this and he's been at that for _months_ now with little success.

"You want in with the werewolves, then I'm your best bet," Sam insists the gravel crunching under her boots as she trails after him for a few steps. "Just because my dad won't hand over his pack doesn't mean I won't do it for him."

Everything stops and Klaus takes another look at the girl over his shoulder. She looks oddly familiar, not that he thinks he's ever seen her before but she bears an ever so slight resemblance to a face that he can't quite bring to the forefront of his mind. "You're the alpha's daughter."

It's a statement rather than a question and Sam's smirk is sickly sweet, providing all the answer Klaus needs. "I've grown up like this- told to be ashamed of what I am and I'm not. I _like _being a wolf and I'm done following my dad's rules- have been for awhile now. I've never even seen this Marcel guy but it's time he goes down."

"I couldn't agree more," Klaus says, turning back around to face them with pursed lips.

"Let's go talk then," Sam says, turning to walk to an ATV standing not too far away. She climbs on, turns the key, and revs the engine. "You can follow me. The loft's not too far down the road." Tyler tosses a second set of keys to Klaus and walks away to climb on the back of the ATV behind Sam as Klaus turns and climbs on the other, holding out a hand to Hayley to help her climb on behind him- he's just dragged her through the woods for about a mile and a half, he can offer a helping hand.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asks as he turns the key and revs the engine.

"I'm the one calling the shots here, love. No need to stress yourself out over it."

"Klaus, this is two revolutions."

"I'm done playing Sophie's little game," he spits, hand clenching the handles as Hayley wraps her slim arms around his midsection. "It's past time for me to take matters into my own hands."

Hayley growls. "This is _my _pack," she whispers harshly, knowing good and well Klaus can hear it. "If you think I'm about to let you serve them up on a silver platter because of your power obsession and control issues then you've got another thing coming."

"Your pack?" Klaus sneers, turning to look at Hayley from the corner of his eye. "You may have familial ties here, love, but the truth is you belong to me now. You're pregnant with _my_ child and, therefore, I've claimed you for _my _pack. I've granted you amnesty and it would do you well to remember that."

Hayley snorts. "Amnesty because I'm incubating your kid... I should just drop on my knees and kiss your feet right this instant, Your Highness. "

A growl rumbles in his chest and rips from his throat, telling her to back off in not so many words. His patience is already thin as it is. Truth is, he's only hearing Sam out because of curiosity. The girl seems like she knows what she's doing, especially if she is seeking an alliance with him of all people. If it comes down to it, he can make her submit and tear her father limb from limb. But Hayley doesn't need to know that. In fact, the less she knows the better and it's not like she could stop him from getting his hands bloody if he so chooses.

True to Sam's word, the ride is short and the ATVs skid to a stop, clouds of dust kicking up around them as Klaus dismounts his ATV and leaves Hayley sitting there. Not like it matters all that much since Tyler's already making his way over to them, shooting a glare Klaus' way in the process. Klaus rolls his eyes and follows a bounding Sam to what she called 'The Loft'.

It's an old farmhouse with chipped white paint and a red roof. There are vines growing over the aged panels and there's a small lake off to one side with a dock floating in the murky water, a rope hanging from one of the nearby trees. Klaus watches Sam force the door open before she skips inside to reveal a fully furnished and perfectly modern interior, he keeps an ear on Tyler and Hayley as he follows- not that he thinks Tyler's going to pull a fast one on him but any and all of the miniscule amount of trust he had in his first hybrid has been shot straight to hell- not that anybody wasn't aware of that detail.

"Jackson!" she singsongs, skipping down the hall towards the muffled sound of a television, strawberry blonde curls bouncing in her wake. "Jackson Lewis! You are a doll!"

"What?"

Sam moves from the entryway and walks into the living room throwing a look back over her shoulder at Klaus as he looks around the room and spots two boys sitting on the couch, one's eyes glued to whatever game he's playing while the other looks up at them. She removes a game controller and plops down in a boy's lap, kicking her feet up and dropping them into the second boy's lap. "Klaus, Isaac and Jackson- my two partners in crime. You've seen Jackson before. He's the one who-"

"Who tipped me to your whereabouts," Klaus finishes, observing both boys with little interest, sizing them up as if they were pieces of meat.

"Yup!" She gives him a weird look and Klaus raises a brow in question. "Scared of three teenagers?" Klaus narrows his eyes at her but she laughs. "Geez, take a breather. Come in and sit down."

"I hate to delude you, love, but I'm no babysitter nor do I fraternize with teenagers."

"Obviously. Since you spent a year and a half terrorizing Ty's friends from back home and apparently have the hots for his girlfriend…Caroline?" She looks up at Isaac and the boy gives a disinterested shrug. "Or whatever her name is."

He's about to retort, snap back at the girl and put her in her place when she lifts a finger. "Hold that thought. Hey, Ty! There's leftover pizza in the fridge and some soda and stuff if Hayls wants anything!" She waits for Tyler's response before returning her attention back to Klaus. "You were saying? Something about how you don't babysit?" Sam laughs when Klaus narrows his eyes and begins to walk about the room disinterestedly. "Damn do you have a major stick up your ass!"

"Are your dreams of upheaval a passing fancy? You lot being stuck in a phase of teenage rebellion?"

"No. I've been told since I was ten-years-old to be ashamed of what I am by my own father. Jackson's had it only marginally easier since he hasn't triggered" –that answers the question about how he had been able to come into New Orleans on a full moon- "Isaac's pretty much heard the same speech I have since he triggered a few years back. We're pretty damn serious and I can't do this by myself. So do you wanna help or not?" She asks, removing herself from Isaac's lap so she's sitting between the boys. Klaus doesn't answer and she looks down at her hand, curling her fingers and the next thing Klaus knows is that her claws have replaced her nails as if she's trying to force his answer.

"That's cute, love." He doesn't comment on how much control she has for being only seventeen even if she's been at this for ten years. She's a regular werewolf, nothing special about her other than the fact she's willing to stage a Coup of her own and steal control of an ancient pack from under her father's feet but the fact she appears to have exceedingly excellentcontrol over her curse is astonishing- he can count on his fingers the number of times he's seen a werewolf in such control before, not including his hybrids. He brushes his fascination off with a chuckle. "However, I'm not interested in which tricks you can and can't perform."

"Look, Klaus," Sam snaps, his name rolling off her tongue like a reprimand, as she leans forward and retracts her claws. "I can't threaten you, I'm not trying. I'm way too smart to even try and get into things with you, and it'd probably be a waste of my time. Has his royal highness had enough time to think?"

"You aren't very good at making deals, love," Klaus chuckles, walking further into the room and depositing himself in an arm chair, reclining back into the dusty cushions and resting his arms over his ribcage with interlaced fingers while kicking his feet up on the coffee table so he can regard the young girl and her wingmen with an amused smirk like a king from his throne. He blames Elijah's 'Redemption Plan X: Fatherhood' for allowing Sam to snap at him, order him around as if she was _his_ Alpha. But, he won't lie- there's something rather intriguing (and frightening) about this girl and Klaus imagines that, if he had the means to turn her, she'd make an _excellent_ hybrid, another person he could mold to his liking, in his image like he had done with Marcel, what he had enjoyed about Stefan, and what he had planned to do with Tyler. But her mutinous attitude makes him back off, sit back and watch as he tries to construct his final judgment.

Sam scoffs, interrupting Klaus' thoughts. "There isn't much of a deal. You help us, you get the pack. You say no, then we go our separate ways. I've done all the dirty work for you. You just have to come in here and do what Alphas do and having Hayley preggo with your eggo is a _huge _advantage since my mom's dead and my dad's pretty much a recluse. You just have to prove you're capable of leading a pack and my dad will more than likely just back down if you bare your teeth with the majority standing behind you and he'll go running with his tail between his legs. Simple as that."

"No, it's not," Tyler says, coming into the room with Hayley trailing behind him. "He," the boy says, nodding his head towards Klaus, the tone of his voice venomous and disdainful, "had all of us under a Sire Bond and we were forced to follow his every whim. He has no idea how to do what you're saying. I don't think he can."

"What?" Sam deadpans, gaping even further and Klaus can feel her looking between them as he glares at Tyler.

"You know, every word that comes out of your mouth makes me regret the fact that I've granted you yet another chance to move forward with your pathetic life," Klaus warns, gaze becoming steely and stormy as his eyes narrow. It wouldn't be much of a fight, he knows. Klaus can read the Lockwood boy like a book.

"Klaus, please," Hayley says and he looks up to meet her imploring and exasperated gaze.

In a strange way Hayley's looking out for Klaus' interests. She still holds a nauseating torch for his first hybrid, that much is obvious so she's here, intervening so Klaus can keep his head and not severe Tyler's, keeping the younger hybrid alive because of Hayley's hopes of 'one day' and Klaus' dreams of his.

He automatically zones in on the hand over her belly and the drumming in his ears becomes louder and louder, reminding him of family- something that's his, something that's stressed and harassed and somewhere in the deepest recesses of his contorted black heart Klaus knows he destroyed it in the first place so it's his responsibility to fix it.

It's in a state of complete disarray and Klaus can't even begin to fathom where it all went wrong but here they are, left in the aftermath of their own self-destructive tendencies and struggling to stay afloat.

He promised he'd help her with this, swore he'd help her find her real family even if she was a part of his pack now. Everyone needed closure in some way and Klaus figures this is Hayley's- saying goodbye to a life she never knew as she enters another one full of danger, deception, and little to no love.

(Although that's no different for either of them- the two lone wolves.)

Regardless, he's a man of his word and he always has been- even if he twists said words ever so cautiously with asterisks and plenty of fine print included.

Because of that, Klaus could turn his back and walk away without a second thought. It would be oh so easy to smirk humorlessly, say 'thank you but no thank you' and drag Hayley back to New Orleans claiming he had done his part and helped her. But that's not what he wants- he has his own agenda after all. He came all this way and he doesn't plan on leaving empty handed no matter how much of a fool's errand it's proved to be so far.

With an exaggerated exhale, Klaus turns his attention back to the little redhead and her rag-tag group. "I'll play along with your little game for now, sweetheart."

"It's not a game," she insists but her excitement lighting up her faces lets her retain the girlish quality, the youthfulness that would suggest Sam's about to pull a master prank instead of a Coup. "There's just one thing,"

"And what would that be?"

Sam looks him straight in the eye and the intensity protruding from her aqua colored eyes nearly takes him back. "You killed my sister."

"You'll have to be more specific, love. I've killed a lot of people." The words roll off his tongue with a certain familiarity and ease, almost as easily as the dead tongue he grew up speaking all those years ago. He doesn't doubt the accusation, though; there's an ocean of blood on his hands, the most recent additions being that of werewolves and hybrids.

"That's the problem," she says, swallowing the shock of his confession. "This pack is my family. And you'll have to explain to me what you want. Like, what are you even doing in New Orleans? Because if you're planning for us to be disposable then you can go right back the way you came. I said I'd hand over the pack to you- as long as you gain their loyalty the right way and aren't gonna feed us to the…the wolves?" She scrunches up her nose at the ironic statement and with what he's learned about her so far, Klaus thinks she might have laughed if the situation were a bit lighter.

He's heard enough familial speeches to last a lifetime. He can't make any promises to her- he does plan on using them as leverage if it comes down to it, that's the whole point of being here in the first place. There will be blood when Marcel clues in to what's going on, that much he's sure of and Klaus wants to be ready; his protégé isn't stupid by any means - easily distracted and thrown off with a smile and a white lie - but not stupid. There will be blood and Klaus, as of yet, doesn't have an army.

"I'm not making promises I can't keep," he insists with narrowed eyes, lacing his fingers together as he leans forward.

And it's true. What else can he say, he's a man of his word and for whatever reason he can't bring himself to create a white lie and manipulate this young girl who was born into this world right into his games.

Sam nods slowly. "And Marcel or whatever his name is. What's his whole deal? Why do you want him gone?"

"Long story short, he's taken something that's rightfully mine. And I want it back. He has followers and other than a handful of vampires and a few vindictive witches, I'm standing alone. I've been around the block a few times, love. I know better than to go to war empty handed; it'd make this whole venture a fool's errand."

"Klaus knows what he's doing." It's Tyler who speaks up and Klaus turns to peer at him questioningly as Tyler continues. "He's a total dick, Sam, so you need to be careful. But he's a strategic and smart dick who knows how to play his cards. If you want to free your pack then you side with him."

The redhead looks away from Tyler and Hayley and peers at Klaus, her gaze less trusting than it had been a few minutes earlier. "If we have to follow you on a war path then do us a favor and earn our trust and loyalty. That's my only requirement or whatever. I want my pack to be in good hands, Klaus."

"And what about yourself? Surely there's something you want in exchange…a position of power?"

Sam rolls her eyes. "I'm already in a position of power. I'm doing your dirty work and bringing people to you, dude. All I want is to be able to be myself and not have to hide." The tone of her voice is pensive and longing and everyone continues to look at her for a few moments after she's spoken, watching her twist the ring on her middle finger around. She finally looks up at them all with creased brows. "What are y'all looking at? It's not like I'm backing out or anything."

Klaus chuckles and leans forward a bit in his seat. "I take it we have a deal? You assist me, persuade members of your pack to join my side as long as I become an Alpha the proper way?"

"Yup," she says, popping the 'p'.

The hybrid's smirk is positively devilish.

"So... do we shake on it or sign in blood or what? 'Cause it's been like two years since I've seen that bitch," she points to Hayley with a wide smile on her face, "and she thinks it's cool to show up here, know both you and Tyler, pregnant and acting like nothing's happened."

Without a word and a bunch of giggles and familiar smiles the girls leave the room. Jackson and Isaac return to their game while Klaus sits, seemingly unnoticed in his chair and Tyler stops lingering in the doorway to pick up a spare controller, falling into an empty armchair.

He represses an annoyed growl. He's an Original, cultured and ageless with an appreciation for progress and advancements. One of the greatest pleasures of living through the centuries has been witnessing all the change and new developments but videogames aren't particularly what Klaus had in mind when Sam mentioned gaining the pack's loyalty 'the right way'. He forces himself to sit through their games, leaning back into the chair and watching them do nothing but stare at the screen with blank faces and gaped mouths, occasional laughs and curses, moving thumbs and clicking buttons while he twiddles his thumbs.

He doesn't last half an hour before boredom consumes him.

So, Klaus stands and leaves the room without a word and wanders outside into the Louisiana heat. He rolls his neck and shoulders, letting the muscles stretch as the afternoon sun warms his skin, face and hair, arms and hands. It's peaceful and quiet here, just as Klaus likes it. He loves the atmosphere of cities- he gets bored easily and there's always some sort of entertainment in a large city whether it's culture or food (of both varieties). But there's nothing quite like escaping to somewhere quiet and open, somewhere away from the world and all it's pretenses. He's an artist and a wolf who grew up in a small Viking community and crowded hut surrounded by the woods so who can really blame him for enjoying solitude?

Hayley and Sam are sitting side by side on the dock down by the lake and it seems like they're both laughing and for a second he thinks about listening in to their conversation but if there's anything he's learned from Rebekah, it's not to eavesdrop on two girls while they're 'catching up'. So Klaus stands there and observes. He's never seen Hayley smile so genuinely- it's wide, showing off her perfectly white teeth, the sun glistening off her naturally tanned skin and dark hair. It's a nice look on her. There's no denying Hayley's one of a kind, she's alluring, almost exotic, and confident in ways that remind him of Katerina but Klaus has a thing for blondes- a certain blonde in particular and Hayley has nothing on her as far as Klaus is concerned.

"What did you tell me that one time? She's quite…fetching, that Hayley?"

The words sound ridiculous falling from Tyler's lips but Klaus remains motionless, keeping his eyes on the two girls below as Tyler comes to stand beside him.

"It's pretty ironic if you ask me," Tyler continues. "All those heated encounters about the hybrids…didn't she say she'd rather die than become your sired little bitch? I guess the thick sexual tension was a bit too much for even the Original hybrid to handle."

"It's funny how you haven't yet learned when to keep your comments to yourself. My patience only goes so far." The irony of the whole Hayley debacle isn't lost on Klaus. And there's nothing worse than being proved wrong or having a dose of his own medicine forced down his throat. Tyler laughs and Klaus decides it's time for a subject change. "Who was her sister?"

"Sam's?" Klaus nods without looking at Tyler. "Her name was Jules- also known as my replacement for your sacrifice."

Jules. He mulls the name over for a moment. Loose dirty blonde ringlets and bright blue eyes filled with fear as he descended upon her writhing form, the light diminishing from her eyes as Klaus' hand had torn through muscle, bone, and flesh to pull her heart from her chest. "I thought she was part of the Florida pack."

"She was. She met her boyfriend while she was at college. He was a member of the Florida pack. Jules was always pretty extreme and after she started going elsewhere to transform on the full moon she and her dad went at it and she moved to Florida and joined his pack, which was lead by my uncle. That's how I know Sam- Jules came to Mystic Falls looking for Mason and when she left I went with her. Apparently Hayley ran with the Florida pack at one point so that's how they know each other."

"It's a small world," Klaus mutters and Tyler nods. "Even smaller when Hayley's known members of the pack she was born into all along."

The younger hybrids brows crease and he looks from the girls to Klaus, waiting for an explanation.

"She has a pack mark just below her left shoulder blade resembling a crescent moon."

"Her birth mark?"

"It's the insignia of the Louisiana pack- they are nothing short of royalty as far as werewolves go. They've been here for centuries, even before the territory was settled. The only pack I know of to have survive for nearly as long is the pack that used to be located in Virginia."

"And we're the only two left."

"Well, find yourself a nice human or a lone werewolf girl and you won't have a problem repopulating," Klaus says sarcastically and his words fall into the empty, humid air.

"Are you sure it's not just some…special Original hybrid gift?" Tyler asks. Klaus simply shrugs. He's honestly doesn't know enough about hybrid fertility to provide Tyler with a definitive answer.

"I think it would be safe to assume that it applies to both of us," Klaus mutters, giving Tyler a pointed look, the warning pretty clear in his eyes.

They stand in silence for a few moments, chirping birds and the buzzing of bugs, the distant sound of Hayley and Sam chattering away filling the space between them until Tyler exhales.

"So," he begins and Klaus knows where it's going and he suppresses an annoyed groan. "When you asked why I wasn't back at home had you forgotten that I was on the run or…?"

"Or what?"

"Or did that mean I could go home? For good?"

He wants to lie. The urge is so strong and it would be so easy. Klaus squeezes his eyes shut and sighs. "I granted you permanent freedom two and a half months ago, Tyler."

"Oh."

Klaus swallows. "I didn't do it for you." His voice is hard, unreadable but the statement says it all and Tyler understands.

Tyler nods. "Got it." He pauses for a second. "Thanks, I guess. It means a lot to Caroline and that's what matters."

He couldn't agree more. Tyler will never be his favorite person, not even close, but they're connected because of Caroline and Klaus figures they always will be until one of them backs down. Klaus knows good and well that Tyler is Caroline's first love- he'll always have a special place in her heart even if she does decide she can love him one day.

However, there's a part, buried way down deep in the bowels of his heart, the smallest corner where his humanity resides, where the old Nik lives hidden away from the world, that's proud of what Tyler has accomplished. It's odd, but Tyler's actions have him intrigued and impressed and stopped Klaus from questioning why the boy's friends rallied around him, why the hybrids chose Tyler over him. Tyler's a true leader and that's the difference between them. He's a child and still figuring things out, but Tyler knows how to cater to people and earn their loyalty, resorting to taking it by force only when necessary. Klaus is beginning to realize, after living for almost a millennia, that maybe that way results in a few more happy endings than his Old Testament methods.

Everyone has their own journey and that's his.

"I guess I should run off then, while you're still serious."

"Perhaps that would be for the best as my moods only last for so long," Klaus agrees with a small nod.

"You've talked to her?" Tyler asks after another moment. There's a warning laced in the question and Klaus is quick to put it down.

"A few short conversations here and there. We parted ways friends, nothing more." And that's all he's asking for…right now, until she's ready.

Though he remains quiet, it's obvious Tyler isn't overly thrilled he and Caroline are keeping in contact but he accepts it with a gruff, reluctant nod. There's no denying it, Klaus figures. As long as they have a mutual interest in what's best for the blonde vampire that's captured both their hearts at least.

"Well, go on. We both know how Caroline feels about being kept waiting."

"True that, man," Tyler says and Klaus can see him smile out of the corner of his eye, the glee in Tyler's voice not going unnoticed. "Do me a favor?" the boy asks and the Original turns an ear towards him, letting him know he has his full attention. "Take care of them," he says and it takes a moment for Klaus to realize he's talking about Sam and her pack mates. "They're just kids and I'd hope you'd figured out how important packs are by now." Klaus looks at him with questioning curiosity that prompts an explanation. "You weren't the only ones who lost the hybrids, man. And look out for Hayley," he tags on as an afterthought.

As if he hasn't heard that one enough- _"or so help me Hayley won't see her first maternity dress", "save this girl, save your child," "Hayley is the mother of your child, Niklaus. The least we can do is offer her a home. Learn to exercise some courtesy" _(his response to that one hadn't gone over very well with Elijah. At all,) _"Be mindful, Niklaus. Watch out for her."_

It's a curious request, Klaus thinks. If there's anyone in their odd triangle who has the right to be upset with Hayley, logically, it would be Tyler. Although it had been her plan all along, Hayley had turned her back on Tyler in the eleventh hour and all the hard work they'd put in unsiring the hybrids had been put to waste, prompting Klaus' 'Holiday Hybrid Slaughter'. It's a vicious cycle- Klaus blames Tyler and Tyler gets betrayed by Hayley when they should, logically speaking once again, both be upset with Hayley. But, and Klaus supposes this is another binding point between them, they can't- Klaus because she's the mother of his unborn son and Tyler because, quite simply, he's loyal, he's a good friend- a little daft at times, Klaus thinks - but he's forgiving.

He nods at Tyler, the younger hybrid returns the gesture before leaving Klaus to look over the pond in the Louisiana heat.

* * *

It's evening and the midsummer sun is setting over the bay, a spectacular show of brilliant oranges and pinks reflecting off the black water and the shimmering skyscrapers- _progress_, as Marcel had called them a few months back. It's a nice view but one Klaus wasn't expecting to come back to; he had hoped to be back much earlier than this, but just like the best laid plans of mice and men, it hadn't gone accordingly- at least it hadn't been in a bad way and that's all he can say.

"Thank you," Hayley murmurs as they're nearing the New Orleans city limits.

"For?" Klaus prompts, glancing over at the girl. She's tired and he doesn't exactly blame her- he's not pregnant and he's more than ready to put his feet up and spend a quiet night at home.

"For doing this…with the pack. Sam's dad is pathetic- from what she's told me. Ever since her mom died in the ATV accident, he's been a wreck. It's about time they had something good happen."

"Did you tell her?"

"That I'm actually part of her pack? No. It doesn't really matter now anyways. My parents are dead and I've found the pack. I'll be a member by default so the details aren't really necessary."

Of course. She's a member by default because she was born into the New Orleans pack but, technically, she pledged her loyalty to him when they slept together. Mindless hookups happen all the time with wolves- lesser females and Alphas alike. Their sordid little tryst wouldn't be an issue except for the fact that Hayley's five months pregnant with his pup. If it weren't for the fact that Klaus was now working to overtake the Alpha, Hayley would have been rejected by him without a second thought. Now, as long as he's successful, she regains a place that's hers by birthright.

She remains silent as well, as if waiting for him to respond but Klaus knows that she knows it's futile. Interacting with Hayley on a day-to-day basis is one thing but engaging in discussion about matters of the heart with her is another. But Klaus _can _empathize with her. He knows what it's like to not know who you truly are, to walk the world without much of an identity- going off of a whim you have about yourself, a barely there clue to create the persona of who you think you are only to lose yourself in the end. It's a familiar pain he knows all too well.

After a few minutes have passed by and Klaus has moved on with his thoughts to escape the awkward and heavy silence, he glances over at Hayley again to see she's fallen asleep, head resting against the window as she breathes softly- in and out, in and out- and her heartbeat continues to even out.

In the silence, Klaus zones in on the third heartbeat he's having a harder and harder time tuning out. It's strong and rapid but even. Hearing his child's thrumming heart is endearing in a way he never thought it would be. It has a calming effect that terrifies him, but in these quiet moments he can take a deep breath and listen, really listen, and it's easier to think of himself as a father-to-be. It's easier to believe that, maybe- just maybe- he can do this.

He pulls into the driveway of their town home and instead of waking Hayley, he carries her inside and, ignoring the hawk-like way Elijah watches him and Rebekah's incessant questions about what happened, he walks to her room and lays her down on her bed, a heartbeat still (always and forever, no matter what happens) pounding in his ears.

_Thump- thump, thump-thump, thump-thump._

* * *

**A/N 2.0: welp, you survived. or so I hope;) lots of exposition and what not but the next part picks up on the action before you'll need to grab a tissue box or 3. (I cried while writing this. a lot. and I'm not a crier. so take that however you'd like lol).**

**also, I don't think I made a note about a time line way up yonder. to me and for the sake of this fic, 4x16 took place in late March/early April, 4x20 in mid May, and the TVD S4 finale in early June. now we've done a time jump so we're a couple months down the road in early/mid August, making _Hayley 4.5-5 months preggers in part i_ if my calculations are correct which there is most definitely a chance they aren't 'cause I don't do that counting shit very well. and, yes, if you're wondering, it does matter. for reasons.**

**gah by the time I'm done talking, I think the A/Ns will be just as long as the chapter lol. **

**The werewolves you were introduced to are my bbys. and I love them. Isaac and Jackson are blatantly based off of the Teen Wolf characters all the way down to the face claims and I give zero fucks about it. Sam is my own OC and I adore her. since this fic is basically a plot overview, I do plan to do a few companion pieces and at least two were set up in this chapter- the wolves being one of them because they're very important to how Klaus regains NOLA and kinda begins his redemption arc. especially Sam.**

**I think that's all lol. I do hope you stick around for the long haul, this is a story I'm kinda really proud of and I'm very excited to share with you all. let me know what you think in a review if you have a moment- I'm headed off on vacation tomorrow and I'll be gone for a week so I won't reply to reviews immediately but I do look forward to (hopefully) your feedback. it's much appreciated:D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N 1.0: howdy, howdy y'all. I apologize for the wait, this chapter was a complete pain in my ass...well this entire fic is a pain in my ass but, specifically this chapter was a bear to write- it's emotional, there's lots going on, it's long, etc. and i still think it's a hot mess but that's okay.**

**so, more notes at the bottom and I hope you enjoy! buckle up, loves...**

***edited 9-11-13***

* * *

_**Sanguis Potestas Est**_

ii. deponite et coronam gladio

After enduring an afternoon filled with raucous laughter and the like, Klaus walks into his bathroom to find Sam sitting cross-legged on the marble countertop doing her makeup in nothing but a lacy black bra and skin-tight jeans. He cocks an eyebrow at her but she barely bats an eyelash. "I'm sorry to interrupt, love, but this is my room. Hayley's is down the hall."

The girl scoffs and pauses to roll her eyes even though she isn't looking at him. "I know that, Mr. Hospitable. She didn't feel too great after straightening my hair so I figured it was time to move this party elsewhere." For whatever reason, Klaus feels like she's leaving a 'duh' off the end of her statement as she regards her reflection and runs a finger under her eye to smooth her eyeliner. "Tyler's back, be-tee-dubs."

The hybrid's brows crease, wrinkling his forehead because, quite honestly, Klaus couldn't care less. It's not like he's ever given a damn about what Tyler Lockwood does or doesn't do, he's not the boy's father. As long as the impertinent punk is on his best behavior and isn't using his freedom to cook up more 'to be failed' attempts on Klaus' life then there's no obligation to be had there. He simply nods at her shared tidbit with raised brows, feigning interest to the best of his impatient abilities.

"Something about he and his girlfriend calling it quits? I don't know," she says, hoping off the counter.

"And you thought it pertinent to tell me this insignificant scrap of news, why?"

Sam shrugs. "Tryin' to diffuse your awkward tension, give you something good to think about- I know you like her and I'm not judging," she says, throwing her hands up and looking at him through the mirror before running a hand through her normally curly locks. "Sheesh, you would think I'd be the one freaking out about now but I'm cool as a cucumber." She smirks when she sees the look on his face. "Unless you're just jealous that you have to miss out on the action?"

Klaus growls in annoyance- this is why he hates teenagers, always meddling and finding things that aren't there to be found. "No," he snaps and the girl throws her hands up in the air with an amused glint in her eyes. "Are you ready?"

"Easy there, Alpha," she says, walking up to him and running a finger up the contours of his chest in mock-seduction. "I know my whole deal tonight is to flirt whatever-his-name-is right out of the bar only to rip his vampire ass to shreds before he can blink but I'm _pretty_ sure going topless is frowned upon in most establishments…even if this is New Orleans." Looking back over her shoulder, Sam huffs, wrinkling her nose at her reflection and Klaus cocks a brow as he watches her intently and finding the spot she's staring at on her left shoulder blade- the crescent-shaped pack mark. Where it was normally well hidden, only slightly darker than a natural skin tone, it had taken on a more prominent, irritated appearance. "Is it that obvious?" she asks and he doesn't respond, only shifting his gaze and looking at the mark contemplatively. "I'll take that as a yes, then. It's harder to cover the closer the full moon is. Let's hope I don't have to take clothes off until the main act," she groans.

The teen waltzes past him and pulls a shirt out of her bag, throwing it over her head and turning to smirk at him, eyes shining with a sick excitement that makes Klaus return the gesture when she asks: "Shall we?"

He inclines his head and follows her out the door- the bewitching hour is upon them and he couldn't be more thrilled.

Klaus pulls open the door of Rousseau's and the jovial noise leaks out, mingling with the racket out on the street as he ushers Sam in with a hand on the small of her back and looking around for the rest of the party. He spots them, already rowdy sitting around Marcel, save a seat reserved for Klaus. The hybrid continues to push Sam in the right direction, smirking when her heart rate jump and her steps begin to drag a bit.

"You'll be right be behind me the whole time?"

"Easy, love," he mutters so only she can hear. "I don't want you getting cold feet now."

"I don't do 'cold feet'," she snaps back and Klaus smirks.

"Good to know," is all he has time to say in return before they're upon the group. Marcel jumps up and claps Klaus on the back enthusiastically and Klaus tries not to visibly seeth under his touch.

"Now the party can start!" Marcel's eyes land on Sam as she stands quietly at Klaus' side, looking around at the vampires with bright eyes. "Don't be rude, Klaus! I wasn't aware you were bringin' a tag along! Ignore this scoundrel, he wouldn't know hospitable if it hit him in the damn face," Marcel jokes, looking Sam up and down. "What's your name, sweet pea?"

The little werewolf steps right up to the plate without batting an eye. "I'm Sam!" she says with a wide, excited, _innocent_ smile. "You must be Marcel. Klaus has told me so much about you."

Marcel takes her proffered hand and places a kiss on her knuckles. "Well, I'll be damned; the man does have some manners," he says.

"I wouldn't hold your breath, mate," he counters. "My moods only last so long," he says, reaching out to take Marcel's glass of liquor from him and knock back the rest. Klaus feels Marcel pat him on the shoulder once more as he laughs.

"Diego, man, why don't you move over so this lovely lady can take a seat?" Marcel suggests although, judging by the tone of his voice, it's really more of a demand.

The scruffy looking vampire slides down and holds out a hand to help the girl onto the barstool. Klaus watches as the his eyes rake over Sam's dainty body with a wicked smirk and barely repressed lust- Diego's preferred meal is anything young and pretty. He also has a thing for girls with red hair. The vampire hands her a shot glass and Sam smiles, uttering a small 'thank you' while averting her eyes shyly. She catches Klaus' eyes from underneath her lashes and he nods imperceptibly towards the other vampire.

_Him._

A tiny, upwards quirk of her eyebrows is all he gets in response but it's more than enough. This plot is going to go off without a hitch, he's certain, and all he has to do is sit back and enjoy the show. Klaus smirks, bringing his glass to his lips- with her wild-child attitude, Sam should be right up Diego's alley.

"And what unfortunate circumstance made you Klaus' company for the night?" Klaus hears Diego ask her as Marcel begins chattering away to him in a hushed tone about some unimportant witch breaking the rules. He nods where necessary, entertaining his rival's conspiracy theories about why his tight-leashed witch community is lashing out more so than usual.

"I live out of town, go to Louisiana-Lafayette and I'm thinkin' about transferring to Tulane. I have a cousin who goes there and she said she'd show me around. She got caught up in a term paper tonight so she asked Klaus if he could entertain me. I told her it wasn't a big deal but she said there was no one better than him to show me around. Actually, you might know her! Does the name Camille ring a bell?"

"Cami? Well, I'll be damned. I didn't know she had family in the area. Met her a few months back, great girl…knows how to have a good time." Marcel concedes. "Even Klaus here can admit that. I hope he's being a decent host! I'd hate for the Quarter to get a bad rep because of him," he laughs, nudging Klaus and the hybrid rolls his eyes, catching Sam's knowing smirk.

"Oh, he knows this place like the back of his hand. He's been the perfect gentleman…but don't tell him I told you that," she plays along, winking at Diego as she smiles.

"As if we need another reason to give him a big head," Diego scoffs.

"Nah, Klaus is a'ight. A bit uptight but, hey, we all have our quirks!" Marcel says, throwing a wink at Klaus. "He and I go way back. As sad as I am Cami didn't hook you up with me and my gang, Klaus was a pretty damn good second choice on her part. The girl's got taste."

"Your gang?" Sam says and Klaus snorts into his glass. "Is that what you call this rag-tag group?"

"Damn straight, sweet pea. And I'd do anything for 'em." There's no malice in his words, nothing detectable at least but Klaus knows it's a veiled warning.

"Well are you going to introduce me to 'your gang'? Or am I just gonna have to fend for myself over here? Or maybe Diego can help me out?" Sam asks, with a mischievous grin and raised brows, swinging her legs underneath her stool like an imploring child.

Klaus looks on as silence falls between them, waiting to see Marcel's reaction. They're doing nothing short of playing with fire tonight and Klaus is well aware that in order for their plan to go off without a hitch, Marcel needs to approve of Sam. He needs to have a certain level of trust with her and with the alibi of Camille truly wrapped up in a term paper this evening, they're off to a start. But this is the true test- Sam asking to be accepted.

It's a lupine instinct, and fortunately, a basic human need as well- the need to be accepted into a group or society. Sam's accepting Marcel's dominance in a rather ballsy way but Marcel loves confidence and if Sam's adjustment to his leadership is anything to go by, Klaus figures this is a walk in the park for her; he's harder to deal with than Marcel is. Much harder. And she had no problem adjusting to his strict regimen while retaining her playful ways.

Klaus looks on in interest as Marcel gives Sam a measuring look- he can almost see the wheels turning in the other vampire's head, narrowing down and crossing off any potential threats this girl could pose. Marcel's approval of Sam into the Inner Circle is as much a test on his good judgement as it is an indication of his trust in Klaus. His rival's small, abashed smile grows into a splitting grin, all pearly white teeth. "Hey, any friend of Klaus' is a friend of mine," he concedes and Sam giggles. "But I think I'm gonna have to leave the introductions up to Diego. There's an… errand I have to run. Klaus, my man, care to join me?"

The hybrid nods and knocks back his drink before standing. A sliver of suspicion and caution courses through him as he follows Marcel up the stairs and he peers at his adversary's back as they go. Marcel's an older vampire and if there's anyone who would be able to pick out a werewolf, it would be him.

"I needed a different kind of drink...if ya know what I mean," Marcel says, turning to throw Klaus a smirk over his shoulder as they continue their ascent.

Klaus nods, a sly smile crawling across his dimpled features.

By the time Klaus and Marcel return to the bar, the moon's about forty-five minutes away from it's peak. Klaus doesn't need a watch to know- his inner, ravenous monster is pacing, his senses on edge and adrenaline is pumping through his veins. Although uncomfortable, the feeling of having something trying to break free from its confines is manageable; he has the means to control it, to not give into the allure of the moon and the curse it controls. This tamed, leashed feeling is a minute discomfort Klaus would deal with everyday compared to the centuries he spent feeling as if he were seconds away from losing his mind every full moon because he didn't have the ability to phase with the rest of his werewolf brethren and if Klaus could feel pity or remorse, he'd perhaps feel pity for those unfortunate enough to cross him during those times, and perhaps he'd even feel pity for Elijah who, more often than not, had been left to clean up the carnage left behind in his frustration and agitation.

Perhaps, he'd even feel pity for Diego who, in about thirty minutes time, would become prey to the same blood-thirsty monster whom Sam would become.

But then again, as he glances at Marcel whose head is thrown back in boisterous laughter, lounging the circular booth as if he owns the place- and in his deluded little corner of the world, Marcel truly does believe he owns New Orleans and everything in it- Klaus figures he could never feel pity for any ill befalling the man he created, the man he helped rise to supremacy, the man he created in _his_ image.

There will be a power shift tonight. This is the turning of the tides and Klaus can taste victory.

"Hey!" Marcel says suddenly, sitting up and looking around. "Where'd Diego and Sam run off to?"

Klaus looks around, feigning curiosity. He knows where they've gone off to- Sam's lead Diego off to his demise like a siren ensnaring a sailor in her trap.

"They hit it off real well," a lesser known daywalker answers. "They decided to move their little party elsewhere."

Marcel smirks. "That sly dog," he laughs. "Say Klaus, where'd you come by that fiesty little thing, anyways? I'd like to get me one!"

The hybrid raises his brows and returns the smirk; oh, how he'd happily give Marcel a gift horse of his own. "I think you'd better ask Cami that, mate," he answers. "Sam's her cousin, after all."

"Good looks must run in the family, then!"

Marcel raises his glass and Klaus reaches across the table, their glasses clinking as they touch.

He keeps an eye on the time, making idle chit-chat and feigning interest in the tales Marcel's reminiscing about, and occasionally spinning a tale of his own about the good ole days. But before long he's standing up while finishing off the last little bit of whiskey in his glass so he can head out the door and pick up his werewolf.

"Where are you runnin' off to?" Marcel whines, feet kicked up on a table.

"Sibling drama," Klaus groans. "You know how Rebekah can be," he adds with a roll of his eyes.

"Makes me glad the only siblings I have are the ones sitting here with me, man," Marcel shakes his head with a laugh. "Good luck dealin' with whatever's put her in a mood this time."

Klaus nods and makes his way out and when he's sure he's not being followed, the hybrid heads for Marcel's townhome, pausing only to pick up a warm body he can mutilate to leave alongside Diego's corpse so Sam has an alibi.

The street is eerily quiet when he arrives. He makes his way through the darkened house with ease, following the pungent smell of vampire blood. He pushes a bedroom door open and finds it in utter disarray- broken furniture, ripped drapes, blood everywhere- and Klaus smirks. Diego hadn't stood a bloody chance.

His suspicions are confirmed when he spots Sam curled up under the window seal, blood painted across her pale skin and Klaus decides against rousing her right away, leaving him to deal with the body although there's not much left.

The vampire's nearly unrecognizable. Bites and scratches have left his flesh mutilated and torn to shreds but judging by the fire poker cast aside on the floor and a trail of blood that most certainly doesn't belong to a vampire, Diego put up a fight. Klaus looks back over at Sam with a smirk and a strange swell of pride in his chest- it's all the more fun when the victim fights, he can attest to that. Deciding against removing the body from the scene, Klaus takes a bit of creative license with the scene, strategically placing Sam's alibi before he pulls a shirt out of a nearby dresser and shakes Sam awake.

"Let's get a move on, love," he says, tossing her the shirt when she wakes with a groan and stretches. They have more than enough time before Marcel would even dream of coming back here for the night- if he even chooses to do so at all- but Klaus wants to get out as soon as possible.

Sam sits up and looks down at her blood-soaked skin. "What the_ fuck_?"

"The bad news is Diego tried to rid you of a few vital organs with a fire tender. However it's nothing a little blood won't fix," he says, standing up and looking for some kind of container so he can bite into his wrist.

"And the good news?"

He purses his lips and shrugs. "You did quite the number on him in retaliation."

* * *

Hayley's sitting on the couch watching a movie with a bag of popcorn in hand when Klaus ushers a tired Sam through the door with a hand on the small of her back. Klaus pushes Sam past her but he doesn't miss the way Hayley stares at them imploringly, the unspoken question hanging from her slightly parted, red lips.

"Well?" she asks with an incredulous look and raised brows as if telling her the final results should be a given.

"That bitch is _dead_," Sam deadpans.

Klaus looks back at Hayley over his shoulder, throwing her a devilish smirk which Hayley returns with a wry smile.

In the morning, Klaus watches gleefully as Marcel descends into paranoia and puts the Quarter in a state of emergency while Sam slips back to the bayou and nobody but he, Hayley, and the little strawberry-blonde wolf are the wiser.

* * *

He's perched up in his studio when the chirping of his phone interrupts the peaceful nighttime atmosphere of the Big Easy. The doors to the balcony are thrown open, neon light peaking up into the softly lit room and a light breeze wafting through the double doors, ruffling the drapes as the sounds of the street drift upon the sea breeze and into his ears- the whining saxophones and the chatter of tourists, badly sung karaoke wandering out of bars. It all influences the splatters of paint that adorn the canvas in front of him as Klaus' hand sweeps across the surface relentlessly.

With a heavy sigh through his nose at the unwelcome and unwanted ring, Klaus places his brush down and wipes his hands on a towel before pulling the device out of his back pocket. "What, Marcel?" he snaps, in no mood to deal with his rebellious once protégé. It's been peaceful the past few days, ever since Diego's death a couple weeks ago, really, and it's a most welcome break to Klaus- he gets to sit back and watch with a hidden smirk as Marcel plays detective and puts all his kingdom on alert for a 'pest problem'.

"You might wanna come quick, Klaus. I think I've found the solution to our little furry problem."

"Is that so?" he asks, leaning back against his desk and crossing his arms over his chest, mulling over the possible fruits of Marcel's pursuit- Sam's been back in the bayou ever since they pulled off their scheme and her pack's stayed very confined so whatever it is Marcel's uncovered is sure to be laughable.

"Mhmm. And, I do believe it will be of utmost interest to you, friend."

The word is no more than a sneer and Klaus narrows his eyes. Something's not right, he can feel it- the warning alarm is sounding in his head and his entire body stiffens momentarily. He laughs it off, snorting into the mouthpiece of his smartphone. "I highly doubt that, mate. It's quite difficult to impress me," he states matter-of-factly.

Marcel deliberates for a split second before there's a rustling that sounds like static as the vampire hands the phone over to someone on his end and Klaus waits in trepidation, tension thick like humidity on the nighttime air.

"Klaus?"

Her voice is meek and small, beseeching him so much like the day she'd appeared in Lafayette Cemetery and flipped his life upside down. Only this time there's more fear laced in his name as it falls from her lips, sounding much more desperate.

Klaus' breath catches in his throat and sticks there as the air turns to ice and he feels all traces of emotion drain from his face. "Hayley?"

"Klaus…_plea_-"

"Impressed yet?" Marcel interrupts her and Klaus can only muster a low growl that causes the younger vampire to laugh. "Tick tock, friend. I'd _hate_ for you to miss out on the main event."

The call is ended before Klaus can say anything else. Boiling hot, red rage begins to consume him, dripping into the frigid surprise and burning him alive as he yanks the mobile away from his ear and begins to depart, eating up the ground with long, agitated strides and slamming doors in his wake. Thinking on his feet, the hybrid lifts the phone again and types out a message, sending it along without a second thought other than 'leverage'.

The old, abandoned church is his first guess. Marcel spends plenty of time there doing who knows what. From what Klaus has gathered, the Inner Circle isn't even privy to what goes on within the ancient structure. Elijah's out for the evening- working with the witches as Klaus refuses to deal directly with their business unless it can't be avoided- so Klaus is in this all on his own, not that he cares. He's been on his own for quite some time and he knows how to play this game Marcel's insisted on- after all, he invented it.

Aged floorboards creak under his booted feet as he makes his way through as stealthily as possible, not that stealth is a necessary component tonight- Marcel knows he's coming, had hedged on it. How he knew Klaus would come if he took Hayley was a mystery and Klaus despised the fact that he needed to come, that he couldn't stop himself from coming to the she-wolf's aid. He stops in the midst of a row of dust and cobweb covered pews as he takes in a trio- Marcel, Hayley, and another young girl who can't be more than fifteen- up front by the alter.

Hayley spots him first and he sees the relief wash over her- relief that he came, that she's not dying tonight, that she and the baby are safe. Klaus looks her up and down for a brief second to make sure the only harm that's come to her (that he can see) is the fact she's tied to a chair. That's all the attention he gives her least he gives something away. Twisting his displeased features into an amused smirk, he turns to Marcel.

"Look at what you've caught, mate."

"Our big bad wolf."

"Is that so?" Klaus asks, cocking an eyebrow as he laces his hands together behind his back and ventures forward. "Then, perhaps you should know that female werewolves are unable to transition during a nine month gestation period. And, clearly," he adds as if he's addressing a child, nodding towards Hayley's protruding baby bump for good measure, "the girl is pregnant which would make your accusations against her false."

"Oh. You thought I was accusing Hayley, here?" Marcel asks, drawing his eyebrows together in mock confusion and pointing to himself and Hayley. "My apologies!" Marcel laughs before settling a steely gaze on Klaus. "I'm not accusing Hayley. I'm accusing you, friend."

Of all the scenarios Klaus had played through in his head while he made his way through the streets, this had not been one. He doesn't believe in no-win scenarios. He knows they happen, oh how he knows, but the game is never over until it's over. He will not admit defeat until he has no other option. And even then he chooses to run, to flee with his tail between his legs and save the problem for a later date.

But this is a story Klaus has heard time and time again so it's easy for him to keep calm under the slowly building pressure and inexplicable anxiety- he has an ace up his sleeve after all. Stopping in his tracks a few feet away from the party, and he turns a small, cocky smile towards Marcel. "You studied Law, mate. I believe I have a right to know of what, exactly, I'm being accused of?"

"You, my friend, are not only being accused but found guilty of a capital offense: treason against the crown."

Marcel smirks wickedly but Klaus only nods with pursed lips, taking it all in with nonchalance.

"It's funny, actually," his rival continues, "I had a feelin' you were up to something the moment you offered to heal Diego after your first night back. The way you spoke…it was all just a bit too earnest and theatric for my taste, man. I was suspicious, but being your friend I let it go as one of your moods getting the best of you _because that's what friends do_. I buried the feeling for _your_ sake, thinking that you just wanted to go back to the way things were. I shoulda known better, though." Marcel laughs in disbelief and shakes his head before continuing. "You've always been _that_ guy- jealous of everyone else's playthings when you can't even handle your own. Like how you should have covered your tracks with Sam better...I asked Cami the other day about how her family was dealing with her cousin's disappearance and she gave me the damnedest look. And then there's Hayley here, hangin' around your family and whatnot like the lost little bitch she is! Shouldn't your worries be about her and your kid? I'd hate for you to turn into your daddy."

He does his best not to snap then and there. He's not Mikael. He won't ever be Mikael. Klaus knows he won't be father of the year but becoming everything that he had feared in his father is a line he will not cross. He may not necessarily want to be a father, he may not be thrilled with the prospect of welcoming a baby into his life but if there was anything Klaus was ever certain about "Always looking out for me...how touching. Let me return the favor. How do you suppose it's mine? Vampires can't procreate and you very well could be making a fatal error in your accusation."

The little witch scoffs and whips around to face him. "Shut _up_. You told my sister the exact same thing and got the same answer I would give you. How stupid are you?"

With a snarl, Klaus rushes forward and hits an invisible barrier, backing up to see Davina's wicked smirk. He looks at the space where the invisible barrier should be and takes an experimental step forward only to be blocked again. It's not the fact he's been restrained and put in a cage that alarms him, it's the fact this little girl, this _child_ who can't be older than fifteen or sixteen years old wordlessly cast this spell without looking at it's intended target- a feat even Mystic Fall's resident Bennett witch was unable to pull off with the assistance of Expression. Klaus looks her up and down with a curious hatred, his lip curling in distaste.

The girl rolls her eyes as she continues to stare at him in disbelief. "You know that little 'gift' my sister has- her special 'human pregnancy test'? Well it's not that special 'cause I have it, too."

"Meet Davina Devereaux!" Marcel exclaims gleefully, leaning back against the alter. "She's pretty hardcore...pretty powerful. Much more powerful than Sophie and Jane-Anne, that's for sure. They pulled the...the, uh, short straws in regards to magical ability compared to my girl."

"Well that certainly explains why Sophie has been so insistent that we can't afford to lose anymore witches," Klaus says with a shrug, watching how Marcel's smug expression melts into one of anger and betrayal. "I suppose that drives you crazy now, doesn't it- don't be afraid to admit it, mate: you revel in your shows of power when someone breaks your precious rules. Tell me, does Davina know how you slaughtered her sister?"

Davina turns slowly from Klaus to Marcel. "You what?" she asks, voice quiet, hiding the building rage behind her words.

"Hey, I know what you're thinking," Marcel amends quickly, pushing off the altar and taking slow steps, hands up and palms out, towards the witch. "But she broke the rules. She broke our rules...you know the consequence for that."

"But she was still my sister!"

A thick and heavy silence descends upon them as Marcel takes a step back and a tremor shakes the air, emanating from Davina. Klaus is willing to bet she's never had and proper training, never had a coven to teach her how to control her magic and it's effect on her raging emotions- he's been around witches long enough to know it's a battle for all of them, not that he pities the servants of nature by any means. In fact, he holds back a chuckle because Marcel has a ticking time bomb on his hands- there's nothing more dangerous than a young witch who's not in control of her magic.

Composing himself while Marcel and Davina glare each other down, Klaus takes a chance to look at Hayley. Slumped in her chair and tensed against her bonds, she meets his eyes, looking up at him from under her long lashes with such fear and worry in her eyes. Neither of them so much as breath and Klaus turns an ear away from Marcel and his witch to tune into his son's heartbeat- strong and pounding, a bit fast if anything but there, solid and reassuring but above all a call to action- he needs to get Hayley out of here.

It's an inexplicable feeling but it's all he can think about: the way she's begging for his help, frightened and nervous, waiting in the wings for whatever it is their enemies have planned.

Looking away from her, Klaus clears his throat. "Now, I hate to interrupt this little quarrel but let's move this party along, shall we?" he draws, releasing a tedious and bored sigh.

Marcel grows, dark eyes breaking away from Davina and flitting upwards to Klaus, piercing him from over Davina's shoulder. After a moment, he turns back to Davina and tentatively places his hands on her shoulders. "I know and I'm _sorry_ but you know our rules. But when have they _ever_ tried to rescue you? You have a family now- me and my guys and you're cared for...more than Jane-Anne and Sophie ever cared for you, right?"

The fight leaves the girl as her shoulders slump and by the ripple of her soft brunette curls, Klaus figures she's shaken her head and agreed with Marcel.

"Good girl. That's what I thought," Marcel says kindly with a toothless smile and he pats the girl on the cheek before moving away. "Now, where were we? Oh, yeah! Your charming baby mama."

"Simply because I'm a hybrid, Hayley's pregnant, and Davina, here, has the same abilities as her dear sister doesn't prove I'm the father."

Marcel's smirk is positively wicked. "Then I hope you don't mind us doin' a little paternity test."

Before Klaus can even process the words, Hayley screams. Black candles resting on the altar flicker to life, casting a small glow across the front of the row. His eyes snap to where Davina's now standing, sliding a knife down Hayley's exposed forearm. A red line appears and trickles down the trail after the blade, dripping into a waiting and dusty offering plate.

Still restrained by an invisible barrier, Klaus begins to pace like a caged animal, eyes never once leaving the scene in front of him as his fury rises. She shouldn't have screamed that loud not unless Davina had been precise and had meant to inflict pain and, being as well-versed in torture methods, Klaus can tell from here Davina merely meant to draw blood.

The flames on the candle's grow as Davina stands over the altar, Marcel watching off to the side, obviously placing a spell on the Hayley's collected blood. The fire flickers and one catches the knife, the blade glinting in the light and, much to Marcel's amusement Klaus growls.

"Dammit. I forgot you wolves aren't big fans of silver!" he exclaims, sick amusement alight in his dark eyes. The witch turns back to Hayley and Marcel flashes to stand behind the chair. "Sorry for the sting but if you sit still, this doesn't have to hurt more than it needs to and it'll be over before you know it, alright?"

Hayley visibly panics when Marcel holds her down, Davina's knife poised right above her swollen abdomen.

"Klaus…? What the hell is going on here?"

The hybrid doesn't turn to face her the way Marcel does, his dark eyes looking up and finding the bartender, his shock and concern coloring his candle-lit features. Klaus smirks and doesn't even acknowledge Camille's presence until he's flashed behind her and she's pinned against his chest.

"C'mon, man...you don't need to involve her."

Klaus inches his hand up and grips Camille's chin, pulling her face to the side a fraction.

"Dammit, Klaus, leave her out of it!"

"Have I hit a nerve?" Klaus asks, not dropping his hand from his brave bartender's face. "You seem to have forgotten what I taught you about matters of the heart. How does it feel, mate, to have the power stripped from hands in a blink of an eye simply because you so foolishly care for this one girl?"

"You're a damn hypocrite- going to such great lengths to protect a werewolf bitch like her when you claim the kid ain't yours," Marcel snaps back, increasing the pressure on Hayley's shoulders as Davina stands, awaiting Marcel's word.

Klaus only responds with a growl. "Now that's a sure way for this night to end with her neck snapped."

"I asked you nicely," Marcel growls.

"I asked you nicely to relinquish your hold on _my_ city. It's not my fault you didn't listen the first time," Klaus growls, tightening his hold on Camille and pulling her roughly against his chest to stop her futile movements- her black belt is meaningless against him.

"And I politely declined your requests."

"Pity because, now, our dear, brave bartender here, has to pay the consequences," Klaus reasons. "But for old time's sake, you have one more chance. Let Hayley go by the time I count to three and no harm will come to Cami."

Marcel only glares, refusing to change his stance.

"1… 2…."

Klaus never reaches three; he doesn't have to. Marcel removes his hands from Hayley's shoulders and backs away.

With a smirk, Klaus bites into his wrist instead of releasing Cami and forces it against her mouth, letting his blood drip down her throat. She pushes his arm away and Klaus lets her escape thinking she's won. He flashes in front of her at the last minute and snaps her neck in one fluid motion, watching as her body slumps unceremoniously to the floor.

"It seems you'll have a new daywalker, _your __Queen_ officially in your ranks," Klaus reasons with pursed lips as Marcel speeds forwards. "I'm curious to see which finger her ring will go on."

"I let her go!" Marcel yells, seething in Klaus' face before he shoves the hybrid backwards. "I did what you wanted!"

Klaus only shrugs. "You know me better than to trust my word, friend."

With a growl, Marcel leans down and scoops Cami's lifeless form up. "This isn't over."

"Oh, I'd say it's far from over."

And it is. This is only the beginning. It's no longer a game of deception and infiltration. They've opened fire and the battle for New Orleans has begun.

"Come on, Davina. We're done here."

The little witch scurries down the aisle and Klaus watches as Marcel strides out of the dusty sanctuary with Camille in his arms and Davina on his heels.

Klaus moves towards where Hayley's cowering in the chair and pulls the ropes, yanking them much more forcefully than necessary judging by her flinch. Hayley stands on shaky legs as he bites into his wrist again, reaching for a nearby chalice to deposit his blood in before handing it to her wordlessly. The she-wolf's nose scrunches in disgust but she brings the cup to her lips regardless before dropping it to the dust-covered floor and stumbling into his chest. Hayley clings to him with shaky breaths, pressing her trembling body as close to him as the swell of her belly will allow. Whether it's intentional or not, Klaus doesn't ask. He doesn't speak at all as Hayley's long fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt and cling to him for dear life, her head tucked over his heart.

The move surprises Klaus and he tenses under her touch. There may have been a time, a time not too long ago, where he loathed this fetching wolf-girl who had committed one too many crimes against him with every fiber of his being but that time has come and gone so he forces himself to swallow the surprise and relax his taut frame so he can relish the fact that she's alright- the baby is safe now they're secure in his arms.

They stand there for a moment; Klaus taking in the familiar and unique way Hayley's scent mixes with his as his child's heartbeat resonates in his ears alongside Hayley's in an oddly reassuring way. One of his hands finds its way to the small of her back and rests there gently as he exhales through his nose.

"Let's get you home, love."

Hayley pulls away from him and nods, a sleepy look in her eyes, in her entire, disheveled countenance. She moves slowly away from him, heading down the aisle on shaky legs with a hand on the pews to support her. Klaus moves at inhuman speed and sweeps her off her feet, cradling her against his body as they exit the church and, sighing in relief, she curls against him once more.

Their journey down the street isn't a victory march, there's nothing winsome or exciting about it. It's silent and there's no pomp or circumstance, no applause for the ace Klaus had pulled out in the eleventh hour; there's no sound other than the excited chattering of tourists enjoying all New Orleans has to offer on this humid September night.

Regardless, Hayley clings to him like he's her knight in shining armor the entire way back to the townhouse.

He isn't expecting anyone to be home when they arrive but when he kicks the door open, Hayley still in his arms, and walks into the foyer to place her on her feet they're greeted by his siblings.

They take one look at them- one glance at Klaus' emotionless face, anger in his eyes and a tick in his jaw; one glance at Hayley, a reddened trail of dried tears on her cheeks and fear in her wide and tired eyes, still cradled in his arms but fighting to disentangle herself from him- and that's all it takes.

Elijah stiffens. "What happened?"

Klaus ignores him with a growl, stepping around his siblings to head up the stairs before setting Hayley down on her feet, a hand on her elbow to steady her if she needs it.

After a moment of silence, the girl clears her throat and shrugs out of his grasp. "I'll just get myself cleaned up," she says.

He nods, dropping his hand to his side and his gaze from her face. He can't look at her directly for some reason. Only after she's turned away and the soft click of the bathroom door has echoed loudly does he look up and swallow before leaving. He nearly runs straight into Rebekah and he growls down at her, waiting for her to back away before she throws him an icy glare and moves around him to continue on her way, the heels of her boots clicking on the polished wooden floors and stopping in Hayley's room. His temper flares irrationally and Klaus storms away.

Everything is quiet, haunting as he strides through the house, the floor creaking underfoot as he wanders the halls to find himself a drink in hopes of taming his once again rising temper. He's no more than poured a healthy serving of whiskey when Elijah enters the room, suppressed impatience and annoyance rolling off him in waves.

"What. Did. You. Do?" he growls, storming further into the room like a hurricane on a collision course, rolling hot and fast onto the shore.

"I did _nothing_," Klaus snaps, the glass of the tumbler beginning to crack under the pressure of his tightening fingers.

Elijah scoffs. "How much longer do you expect me to believe the same lies that spew from your lips?"

"Excuse me."

"Do both of us a favor, Niklaus, and drop your deluded façade," he says evenly, always poised even in his imminent anger.

"_My_ deluded facade?" Klaus repeats, his voice a low growl vibrating in his chest. "I didn't bloody ask for any of this, I had it forced down my throat by _you_- you expected me to roll over like a well-trained mutt with your self-serving talks of 'family above all' and 'always and forever', pledging to stand by my side once and for all as if it'd change anything! If anyone among us here is deluded, it's _you_, Elijah."

The elder Mikaelson snorts and Klaus raises his chin a hair higher. "And yet you walked right into the supposed trap of my self-serving promises did you not, Niklaus?"

He whirls to face Elijah with a menacing growl. "I have done everything I was told! I've kept Hayley alive, I've let myself be put on a bloody leash on your behalf. What more do you want from me?" The words leave as a scream as Klaus shoves his brother backwards, pinning him to the wall before he's even recovered from the shove.

Elijah only shoves him back, forcing him a few steps backwards before Klaus catches himself and comes to a stop, glowering as Elijah pushes off the wall and straightens his suit.

"For starters, I'm happy to point out to you that you are, in fact, deluded if you think for one minute you've kept Hayley and your unborn son safe. What happened tonight, Niklaus? What did you do? Go on, brother. Tell me what mess of yours I must clean up this time."

"I did nothing! I saved her!"

"But at what expense? What show were you so determined to put on that you were willing to put Hayley at risk?"

He doesn't answer, choosing to turn his gaze to the floor. There's no winning at this point- Elijah's made up his unyielding mind, choosing to make him the culprit and, Klaus supposes, it is his fault. If he hadn't brought in the little wolf-girl then… but, no. Utilizing Sam had been a necessity and he would not apologize for something he had no control over.

"Dammit, Niklaus! What more must I say to get the gravity of our situation through your thick skull?" He opens his mouth to snap back at his normally composed brother but when roused and brought to the surface, Elijah's frustration and ire allow no room for argument. "This is your child," he continues, closing the space between them with measured but forceful strides and a pointer finger raised in front of him. "_Not_ an immortal being nor one of your protégés, Niklaus! Your son and his mother are not disposable! He is innocent. Stop with your vulgar foolishness before you fall into a position you cannot worm your way out of with petty words and empty promises because I refuse to take responsibility for your actions any longer."

Elijah continues to glare at him with unfeeling and disappointed brown eyes before turning on his heel to walk out of the room. Without the scolding pressure of his older brother's gaze, Klaus picks up the half-empty low-ball tumbler and studies the liquid in his glass, swirling it around before snarling in distaste and throwing it into the fire.

The flames sizzle, cackling and rising in agitation as Klaus storms out of the room and through the halls, curses whatever force nagging him to go check on Hayley.

"You aren't coming in here. Not when you put her and the baby in jeopardy like that, Nik."

"Move out of my way, Rebekah, or I swear on all that's holy I wi-"

"You'll what? Shove a dagger through my heart and stick me in a box?!" Rebekah sneers, making no move to leave the doorway. He raises his chin in response to her words, glaring at her down his nose. "You don't like that do you? Not being able to take the easy way out and be responsible for once," she hisses.

"Good thing you don't really get to decide who can and can't come in my room, Rebekah," Hayley says, from somewhere within, effectively stopping a fight before it can begin.

Klaus shoves past her with a growl, slamming the door behind him before Rebekah can follow. He stands there for a minute, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to control his bubbling temper.

"Well that wasn't exactly an invitation inside but okay."

Klaus turns to find her looking up at him from her bed with wet hair, the eggplant-colored duvet pulled up to her chin. "You should have been more explicit then, love."

Hayley rolls her eyes and snorts, the fabric of her blankets rustling as she shifts under then and burrows further into the cocoon she's created. It stays quiet for several moments, Klaus watching Hayley and Hayley trying to keep her gaze and attention fixated on anything but him. He doesn't know why he's in here, he saved her from Marcel, he upheld his word but now that they're out of the fray he shouldn't care, he should have returned to his usual attitude about his impending fatherhood, about Hayley, about what his siblings think. But the situation and the words won't leave him alone tonight and he despises it. He's been controlled for the past seven months, kept chained up and on a leash like a mongrel and now he's unable to to control his thoughts and emotions, all of his finely drawn lines are becoming blurred, his fortresses being reduced to smithereens by a force he doesn't understand nor does he think he wants.

"You might as well sit down now that you're in here," Hayley says, breaking through his thoughts. Blue eyes snap to brown in surprise. "What? I'm not gonna throw you to the dogs like that. I heard what Elijah was saying and Rebekah, before you came up here... _damn_."

"I don't want to talk about it if that's what you're offering."

"Yeah...well, I wasn't. I don't want to hear your sob stories." She pauses as Klaus continues to stand there, he can feel her eyes on him, awaiting his next move, something he's entirely unsure of. "So are you going...or staying?"

He feels his lips twitch ever so slightly at her words. "I don't know, love. You tell me."

"Wow, how courteous of you, relinquishing your precious control."

Blue eyes convey a warning when they meet her hazel ones this time.

"Easy there, tiger. Last time we had that conversation, I ended up pregnant. I think I learned my lesson."

"I suppose I can say the same," Klaus agrees, moving to the sit on the edge of her bed.

She gives him a disbelieving look, arching one perfectly shaped brow. "So you _are_ capable of making a joke."

Klaus snorts and they fall back into silence for a few moments before Hayley speaks up again, her voice meek and quiet.

"Umm. Is… can you… You can hear his heartbeat, right? He's been really still- like he's usually so active, especially at night and ever since... and I'm just… I just wanna… you know- make sure he's okay."

He turns his sensitive ears to the little pitter-patter that accompanies the blood humming through Hayley's veins. "It's there," he tells her with what he hopes to be a reassuring nod, the sound ringing in his ears and wracking his brain. "I reckon he's just tired...you've had a trying day. You should get some rest seeing as you'll be lucky to get a few hours worth in a matter of weeks."

"Two jokes in one night? It must be my lucky day."

Klaus cocks a brow this time as he peers down at her. "I'm no expert but won't you have to care for him when he wakes screaming his bloody lungs out during the night?"

"Yeah. But it takes two to tango, Klaus. You're not getting off the hook."

"Yes, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Klaus replies with a nonchalant shrug, a challenge, as he stands and turns to leave.

"Klaus, seriously."

He represses an exasperated sigh at her words. They aren't discussing this tonight- there's too much on his mind for him to endure more talk of co-parenting and his temper is already running high despite this mind-numbing small talk with his little wolf. Besides, it's too soon. He still has two months of figurative freedom before he and Hayley welcome this, more or less, unwelcome bundle of joy into their dangerous world. "I said not to tonight, Hayley."

"_Relax_. I was going to tell you you're welcome to stay in here...for the night. So you don't have to deal with Rebekah and Elijah breathing down your neck but suit yourself."

The offer gives him pause and Klaus considers it for a moment before turning around and moving to the rocking chair that's been placed in the corner of the room. He deposits himself in it as Hayley reaches up and flips off the lamp on her bedside table, engulfing the room in darkness.

"Besides, you need to get your beauty sleep for when you have to wake up in the middle of the night with your kid."

Klaus only growls in response, his displeasure at her comment falling into the empty space between the chair and the bed. Hayley doesn't make another sound and he sits there, listening to her breathing as it evens out, the baby's heartbeat calming and lulling him into a welcoming drowsiness. He relishes in the silence and the stillness that overtakes the room as Hayley nods off into sleep, Klaus following her into the abyss of, at least for him, a restless unconsciousness.

"Thank you, Klaus."

He recognizes Hayley's soft voice through the fog and has a hard time deciding whether he's imagined it or not amongst Elijah's words as they all filter through his head, haunting and tormenting him as his thoughts and insecurities are prone to do in the darkness.

* * *

Klaus wakes with a jolt, eyes wide and gripping the armrests of the chair he's occupying with white knuckles as he takes in the darkened confines of Hayley's room. It takes him a moment to remember the events from earlier. Using Camille had been nasty strategy, Klaus would admit but using his enemies' or other nuisances' loved ones is something he's become fond of over the years because, quite simply, it gets the job done. He only ever resorts to it when it's necessary and it had been today. He tells himself that over and over, hoping to erase the guilt trying to eat away at his core- his ears are still slightly ringing from Elijah berating his flippant attitude towards their situation, over his neglect of his unborn son. He still, vaguely, feels the chill of Rebekah's words and electric blue gaze.

Klaus swallows as the smallest part of him recognizes he'd risked the life of his unborn son by utilizing one of his signature tricks. His hands find his heads and he runs his fingers through his sleep-matted curls. His son isn't even here yet and here he is, already making a name for himself as the world's worst father. He wasn't going to be much of a father, he knows. Elijah'd been the closest thing he'd ever had to knowing what it was like to have a father but his relationship with his brother was nearly in shambles.

He doesn't understand it, why he cares so much, and it frightens him but he does and he can't stop- not that he would ever admit that, especially not to Elijah. He cares and all he knows is that he has to protect Hayley and his unborn son and, no matter how differently Elijah tries to tell him, he'd done that- he'd gotten them safely out of the fray, he'd been cooperating with Sophie to ensure their safety. And, in his mind, that's all he needs to do. he needs to, somehow, provide them with the sense of security his 'father' failed to provide him. Klaus knows with resounding certainty he isn't going to be in the running for 'Father of the Year' or anywhere close to it but he does know that he wants to be better than _him_-

-better than Mikael.

His eyes shift over to Hayley's bed and he peers at it through the darkness. The wrinkled covers are thrown to the side and the bed empty. He grows worried for a moment before he notices the light sneaking out from under the bathroom door.

That's when it hit him- the light scent of blood floating daintily into his nostrils, putting his senses on edge and alert as the drowsy predator begins to rouse from it's slumber.

Forcing it down with creased brows, Klaus pushes himself up from the chair and crosses over to the closed bathroom door with cautious steps, rasping it's face with the back of his knuckles.

"Hayley?"

No answer.

It took every ounce of his self-control not to rip the door off the hinges and waltz in, the scent no longer a simple waft on the breeze but much stronger and demanding- insistent and foreboding because he could feel it in his bones; something wasn't right.

"Is everything alright?" he tries again.

The door opens to reveal the she-wolf, bedraggled with tears in her eyes and her heart pounding a mile a minute, her face contorted between a pain induced grimace and distress. She shakes her head frantically, brown locks shifting over her narrow shoulders. "I'm bleeding," she says quietly between shallow and quick intakes of breath.

Klaus freezes and everything- emotion and blood- drains from his face. Unable to respond right away, he looks down from the girl's face to where her hand is resting over her protruding bump, over _their_ child.

They call Sophie as soon as Klaus can think again. And when Sophie can't do anything, they call the midwife. She gives Hayley a drug to try and stop the contractions and all they can do is wait. He doesn't know why but he feels the need to stay by Hayley's side so he does. Klaus drops back into the rocking chair, wiping a hand over his face before resting his elbows on his knees, his face in his hands as he watches Hayley's sleeping figure like a hawk. Elijah walks past on his way out and clasps his shoulder, saying something that Klaus doesn't really register- everything is so fuzzy. He's so sure that he's not ready for this (it's too early as it is, anyways) and today only proved it.

He's been good, he's been trying. It's not like he can change himself overnight if he can even manage to redeem himself at all. This isn't fair; not to him, not to Hayley, not to his siblings who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their nephew- something none of them ever thought they would have the chance to experience. But of course he screws it up- he's a worthless monster who ruins everything he touches he knows it, the entire world knows it.

Klaus' brain is going a mile a minute but he manages to nod numbly at his brother before he's left alone, watching over Hayley protectively.

After about two hours, she wakes with a groan and a small sob escapes her lips as her hands move to her stomach. Klaus swallows as her panicked eyes find him and he knows. The midwife checks her and tells them what they already know with a forced smile. The words hang heavily in the air and echo through the high-ceilinged room hollowly.

_"You're three and a half centimeters, sweetie. He's coming and I don't think he can be told otherwise."_

He thinks that, if the situation and the events leading up to this moment were any lighter, he'd laugh- it seems his son has inherited the infamous Mikaelson stubborn streak.

* * *

In the end, eighteen hours later, he gets to hold it.

The midwife gives him no other option and hands the squirming newborn over to him before Klaus can argue. He feels Elijah and Rebekah, Hayley and Sophie watching him like hawks and he can only stare down at the pink, barely swaddled newborn laying awkwardly in his hands but he fits there, in both of Klaus' large hands and it's like his heart has lodged itself in his throat. He re-adjusts oh so slowly so his son- his son- is cradled safely and securely in his arms but once he's there, tucked against his chest, Klaus completely freezes. The emotions rain down on him, terror and (dare he say it) love in equal measure and it's overwhelming- so much so he forgets to breathe.

With an unsteady hand, Klaus tucks the edge of the blanket more securely around the infant and, as he does so, his son reaches out and grabs Klaus' pointer finger in his tiny pink hand and holds on, sealing a bond between father and son that Klaus himself never got to experience.

And in that moment, everything clicks.

Before now, he had been acting purely on an instinct that he couldn't understand. He was an alpha male, there was a female pregnant with his offspring, and the need to protect them was inherit- no feelings attached but now he gets it. This is _his_ baby. _His_ son. _His_ family- a new start and, no he doesn't need to love Hayley but she's a part of it. This is theirs. Their new start- his siblings' too but it's mainly his.

This is _his_ and after a thousand years, he's _finally_ got it- what he wanted, a family who can understand him. Someone who will love him purely despite all his wrongs and his darkness- what love is greater than a child's for their parents? Klaus has been there, he knows; there was a time where he loved both of his parents and despite everything she did to him, there is still a part of him that loves his mother and, as much as he despises it, he figures the smallest part of him always will.

And here he is, standing in a bedroom, completely and utterly frozen as he holds his baby and an unfamiliar warmth begins to drip into his chest, spreading slowly, creeping across his skin.

But it lasts less than five minutes before the ice that normally surrounds his heart in a nearly impenetrable fortress returns.

Klaus' brow creases when he feels it. His undead heart drops from his throat and plummets to the pit of his stomach as the ice takes back over his body and he looks up to his siblings standing on the opposite side of the room in complete, heart wrenching helplessness with a tear running down his cheek.

Being alive for a thousand years, Klaus knows things like this happen daily but nothing could have prepared him for the powerless feeling that's settled in his entire body. Ignoring Hayley's weary and hawk-like stare for as long as he can, he keeps his attention fixed on anything but the babe in his arms as he feels another trail of moisture slither down his face and the saltiness of his tears invades his mouth.

His hands have been the harbingers of death more times than he cares to count, he's witnessed more horrors than any human can imagine, outlived centuries worth of torture and inflicted plenty himself but Klaus is certain there is nothing in the cruel world he's come to revel in that could have prepared him for this kind of harsh reality.

He barely registers Hayley's raspy and worried "What's wrong?" as he locks eyes with his brother, his breath caught in his swollen, thick throat, his eyes boring into Elijah's, communicating a desperate plea- a silent yet terribly loud cry for help that no one can answer-

_Please, please, please._

Under the pressure of each set of eyes in the room, Klaus knows his silent begging is futile. He knows and he hates it- this powerless feeling that's suffocating him as these traitorous emotions like love and hope turn their back on him once more, the pain weighing down on his already broken and bruised heart like a lead weight. He forces himself to swallow, to breathe- _In and out_, he reminds himself, _in and out_- unfreezes his stiff joints to take robotic steps over to Hayley's bedside. He kneels down, delicately passing the infant over to his mother, eyes only leaving the babe-_his_ son- to exchange glances with Hayley and she stares back at him, taking in the tears threatening to cascade down his face. She finally looks away from him but Klaus stands before she can do anything more than look away from him and down at their son and rushes out of the room.

Elijah's on his heels and he doesn't care; he doesn't want to be caught in the aftermath but Klaus can't escape fast enough.

Hayley's sobs echo through the house- ringing loudly in his ears just like the baby's heartbeat did… _had_ the first night he heard it- before he even reaches the main floor. He yanks the door open and leaves without a second thought. He ignores Elijah calling after him as he moves numbly- he doesn't know where he's going, he just has to get _out._

Numb.

Run.

_Away._

A few minutes worth of pain and the wolf bursts forth.

Klaus doesn't come back for a week.

And when he does stride back through the front door, Elijah following with cautious steps in his wake, there's a darkness in his hardened eyes- a cruel and foreboding coldness that radiates from his icy being that makes it feel like he's brought winter with him- a winter that's come two months too early.

**A/N: welp I was gonna end it with Klaus sitting on the floor of a dark room drawn into himself with a single man-tear running down his face as he listened to Hayley crying in the background so yeah.**

**to those of you who might ask- yes, he goes off and pulls a Klaus-move aka he does something terrible to screw himself over to cope with his pain. will we see it in the interlude or part iii? no. why? cos that's a whole other story, my friends. one you'll read if you choose to stick with me for a companion piece about our friend, Sam;)**

**anyways, a million thanks and virtual hugs and cookies and all that good stuff to** _**djangelynn**_ **for cleaning this up. She ****was a trooper and edited this in public whilst trying not to cry. kudos to you, girl. idk how you managed.**_  
_

**that's all for now, folks. please leave a review if you feel so inclined or have a question or just want to say hey. I'm friendly, I don't bite...I just like to torture fictional characters by letting them hold their children only to have them die in their arms.**

**Oh! fun stuff- my Klaroline OS _chase_ won Best Romance One Shot in this year's Klaroline Awards over on tumblr! If you voted for it or nominated it, thank you thank you thank you from the very bottom of my heart. I _really_ appreciate it:)**

**now that's all.**

***hangs head in shame and goes to sit in the corner***


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N 1.0: Howdy, howdy. Not much to say but I have a double update for you wonderful people so woohoooo. Thanks to all who read and reviewed, I was well aware the Klayley things from last chapter wouldn't be accepted very well but thank you for being patient while we get to the good stuffs. Enjoy!**

**Thanks a billion to djangelynn for beta-ing:)**

* * *

_**Sanguis Potestas**_** Est**

interlude: the devil may care

Elijah finds him in the bayou, dried blood flecked across his skin like paint that's been carelessly flung at a canvas. He finds the ease with which he can convince the hybrid to return home suspicious but Elijah, regrettably, doesn't question Niklaus' surprising compliance. Klaus is cold, distant, and ruthless- much more so than his typical self- but he doesn't lash out at his oppressors as Elijah was expecting he would. Klaus' cool demeanor lulls the foreboding feeling in Elijah's gut and his suspicious gaze into a false sense of security.

Rebekah's the first to fall with yet another dagger in shoved maliciously through her heart.

He's absent the night it happens, plotting and scheming with Sophie because they needed a new plan of action but with Hayley's wordless explanation, Rebekah's sudden absence and Niklaus' careless attitude, Elijah deduces enough. The arguments he's sure Rebekah spewed against the hybrid were nothing new- accusations of their brother's coldness, brutally questioning his methods and authority and his love for anything other than himself- but he can't help but think Rebekah's decision to push was unwise given their brother's current unstable mind frame.

It's then Elijah realizes the hybrid never intended for him to win, it was his plan all along to wait them out, lulling them into a false sense of security, much as they had with him where his son was concerned.

Elijah begins walks on eggshells around him- after all, it was he who had put Klaus in this situation in the first place, it was he who had convinced him to let Hayley live. He knows Niklaus' games better than anyone else; he knows how his brother loves driving those who slight him to insanity and paranoia as they await his final, cruel judgement.

So he waits in the wings with bated breath and watchful eyes until he's needed to swoop in and clean up the wayward hybrid's mess, to intervene in some way. It's a dangerous game but one Elijah knows he cannot, under any circumstances, afford to lose.

* * *

"I may have done something," Hayley confesses.

She comes to him late one evening, quiet and fiddling with her fingers, peeking at him from under long lashes. Elijah merely raises his brows, nodding his head for her to continue. Instead of lashing out at the world like Niklaus, Hayley withdrew into herself, so much so that Elijah had begun to wonder if the girl had become mute. Although he knows the pain of burying a child who had yet to experience the joys of life there was only so much he could offer her in comfort so he let her be. Dealing with Niklaus' chosen method of grief was easier, perhaps because it didn't allow Elijah to dwell on his own grief at the loss of his nephew and, perhaps, his brother.

"I…. I, um, undaggered Rebekah. I was just so mad at him and she confronted Klau-"

He stands swiftly, moving towards the door before Hayley's finished, his questions about the quietness of the household that evening now possessing a foreboding answer. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. He stormed out. They both did. I'm sorry...I jus-"

He doesn't bother quieting her apologies, he has a ruthless hybrid to track and it's only a matter of time before there's blood in the streets. Elijah knows that whoever falls to Klaus' wrath next has the potential to obliterate everything they've been working for these past few months- whether the blood spilt is innocent or not.

He calls Rebekah and she, begrudgingly agrees to assist him. Sophie's next and when her cell-phone goes unanswered for the upteenth time, he decides to go straight to the source.

The scream from the alleyway behind the bar the where the witch works is all he needs to know- Niklaus has gone after Sophie.

"You know it's not proper etiquette to play with your food, Niklaus," he chides, standing off to the side where Klaus has the witch pinned to the brick wall by her neck.

The hybrid sighs, rolling his eyes as he looks up to the darkened sky. "How rude of me, I sincerely apologize for prolonging something I should have done months," the word's nothing less of a snarl, "ago."

Elijah can only stare as the hybrid sinks his fangs into Sophie's neck.

A whirlwind of blonde invades the musky alley and a sickening pop echoes against the brick walls that surround them. Niklaus falls to the ground, releasing Sophie as he does, his neck twisted in an awkward angle and Rebekah standing over him, smirking as she clasps her hands together.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that to that traitorous bastard."

"I thought you said he was under control!" the witch exclaims, her voice shrill in a mixture of anger and fear.

Elijah looks up at his sister and then at Sophie, her eyes ablaze as she clutches the wound on her neck. He doesn't have a response to either of them- he should apologize to Sohpie and offer her his blood but he doesn't, he should reprimand Rebekah but he can't.

Sophie rolls her eyes. "You need to get him under control. Chain him up, send him away...I don't care how you do it. I won't have everything we've been working for thrown out the window because he's...he's un-"

Elijah draws himself to his full height and fixes her with a hard glare before she finished. "Niklaus just lost his only child. If I were you, Sophie Devereaux, I'd be wary of what you choose to say next," he warns.

Sophie doesn't back down. "And I'm terribly sorry about that but it happens. Get him under control," she snaps before striding out of the alleyway, leaving Elijah behind to deal with his siblings.

"She's right. He can't keep on like this, it's ridiculous. He didn't even want that child in the first place," Rebekah says suddenly, looking down at their brother Elijah stays quiet, kneeling to feel the setting bones in Klaus' neck to judge how much time they have before he wakes, righting himself to straighten his suit as Rebekah continues. "There are plenty of vengeful witches down here who would Dessicate him for us."

"To what point, Rebekah? So his anger stews for an indefinite amount of time?" Elijah snaps without taking his eyes off his brother. "And when he wakes up, then what do you suggest, Rebekah? We deal with his rage at us as well?"

"Well we have to do something! I didn't come down here to watch him spiral out of control any more than I already have, Elijah!"

"We deal with it here and now and then we proceed forward," Elijah says with a simple shrug.

Rebekah only looks at him as if he's spoken gibberish, gaping with creased brows in the dark alleyway. "Why? It's too much of a risk, Elijah. He'll ruin everything we're working for, everything we've accomplished and I for one am not interested in engaging in full out warfare against god-knows what Marcel has up his sleeve."

"It's too much of a risk to temporarily dispose of him as you're suggesting."

"It's nothing he hasn't done to us before and yet here we stand, cleaning up after him, sheltering him from his own destruction time and time again. He could use a dose of his own medicine." Rebekah stomps a foot and crosses her arms over her chest, glaring icy blue daggers in his direction.

"No."

"Why are you so willing to forgive him for everything he's ever done to us- every dagger and denied dream?! You're so willing to just let it all go simply because he loses something he never wanted in the first place."

Elijah tears his gaze away from Klaus to stare Rebekah down. "I never said I was forgiving him, Rebekah," he hisses, more to drill his point into this stubborn girl who not too long ago seemed to renounce all claims of family in favor of calling them 'three distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline'. "I simply refuse to hold him accountable when you and I are as equally guilty as Niklaus is of crimes against each other. I with my hypocritical morals and you...you came down here with nothing more than ridicule and judgment and while I do not expect you to coddle him, did you really believe he'd respond well to your accusations in this state of mind? You do your very best to provoke him when he doesn't give into your whims and yet you expect him to bow down and apologize for it all when you seem to be just as incapable of considering mere apology as he is?

"The night he lost his son…I said things to him that appall me, things I can't take back- ridiculing his judgment of the situation, his treatment of Hayley and their child. I even blamed him for what Marcel had done to Hayley, yelling at him about his impulse and impatience getting the better of him time and time again."

Elijah pauses to gage his sister's reaction to his words. She's turned her gaze to the grimy cobblestone pavement that covers the alleyway and swallows a lump in her throat.

"We aren't saints, Rebekah. Yet we dare place ourselves on a pedestal above him. We dare to hold his loneliness and insecurities over his head and expect him to step down instead of reacting bitterly, daggering us and pushing us away so we don't deliver the final blow, so he can protect himself. Whatever happened to protecting each other? Always and forever- that's what we swore, Rebekah. And while his methods have been utterly questionable and inappropriate, despicable even, Niklaus has done that to the best of his abilities. All he has ever wanted was a safe place we could call our own in this world and when he attempted to provide that for us in his twisted and darkened way we scoffed in his face and here we are- three instead of five.

"It's a pity it's taken me this long to come to this conclusion. If we turn our backs on him now, we won't ever get him back and that is an outcome I refuse to humor. Leave or stay, what you decide to do is your choice and your choice alone, I cannot make it for you."

"So that's it, then? Those are my options- stay here and play babysitter to my bastard brother or leave and be disowned by my only remaining family?"

He tries to place his hands on his baby sister's cheeks but she backs away from him with betrayal and disdain in her electric blue eyes. "You will always have a place in our hearts regardless of what you choose to do. But Niklaus is my brother and I will stand by his side to whatever end we all come to. I will protect him where I was unable to before because he needs us, Rebekah. Just as we need him. Always and forever."

She gulps and avoids his eyes, taking a glance at the hybrid before Elijah kneels down and picks up Niklaus' unconscious body.

* * *

It's not an easy battle, not in the slightest.

Klaus fights back in his own ways and yet it's all a game to him- when Elijah begins to monitor his blood consumption, he stops feeding entirely. When Elijah demands things of him, he sits back and laughs at Elijah's attempts to make his callous and unfeeling brother care.

Elijah knows this is a battle he can't fight, let alone win, on his own.

**A/N 2.0: dun dun dunnnnn.**

**review if you have a minute or clicky click below to read on;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N 1.0: *drum roll* Here it is. The diddy I wrote that was intended to be a one-shot but turned into 14K's worth of word vomit. Buckle up and enjoy, my lovelies. PS it's a bit angsty so take that as you will.**

**Thanks to djangelynn for beta-ing:)**

**Disclaimer: (I guess I've been forgetting these...oops) I don't own TVD or TO.**

* * *

_**Sanguis Potestas Est**_

iii. gratia salvati

It's a call Caroline never expected to receive, least of all from Elijah, but when her cell phone rings in the middle of a Chemistry study session, she feels obligated to answer the unidentified call.

"Hello?" she says into the speaker, one finger plugging her sensitive ear against the background chatter of her study group.

"Miss Forbes," the eldest Mikaelson greets, tone all business but no less amicable. "I hope college is treating you well?"

"Oh, yeah. It's great," she answers nervously. She has never been properly introduced to the Original, let alone had a conversation with him, so she knows, deep in her gut, that this is not a pleasure call. "I'm actually at a Chemistry study session right now…you know, finals are coming up."

"Ah, well, I won't keep you long, then. I simply have a favor to ask of you."

"Sure. Uh... hang on just a minute." Caroline excuses herself with an apologetic smile at the seven other students- Elena included- who are watching her. She can feel the concerned gaze of her best friend as she slips out of the room. Elena knows that she has been keeping in touch with Klaus- just a phone call here and there, or a brief text conversation about once a month- she knows and she doesn't approve in the slightest but as far as Caroline's concerned knowing the nuisance of a hybrid hasn't forgotten her is enough to make Caroline smile. And if Elijah calling her instead of Klaus isn't enough to ignite the nerves, the cautious and suspicious look Elena gives her is, and Caroline wants to be as far away from the other girl's keen ears as possible.

Caroline pulls her jacket tighter around her body as the chilled November wind nips at her skin and she skips down on the steps of the library out into the night air. "Okay," she lets out in a humored breath- maybe if she acts nonchalant about this, it won't be a big deal. (Her fingers are crossed.) "Let's try this again."

"It's quite simple, really. I need you to come down to New Orleans."

So much for nonchalance.

Caroline's jaw drops. Surprise hits her first, overlapping the smidge of anger and frustration that begins to fill her head and her heart because seriously? She's a full time student. She can't just drop her life on a Wednesday night and gallivant down to the Big Easy to see her sorta kinda 'maybe-one-day-perhaps-in-a-year-or-even-in-a-cent ury' boyfriend (and she's using that term _loosely_, mind you). Besides, if Klaus wants her down there so badly, he can pluck up the courage to call her himself instead of sending her invitation through Elijah, thank you very much.

"Um," she stutters once she's recovered from the initial shock of Elijah's "request", "I…well, this really isn't the best time. We're in cram part of the semester and finals are really just right around the corner and I've got clubs and cheer an-" she doesn't realize she's rambling until Elijah cuts her off.

"You've been keeping in touch with Niklaus, have you not?"

"Kinda. I mean, yes but it's not like an everyday sort of thing." It's more like a 'whenever I need someone to talk to' on her part or a 'I'm bored, I guess I'll call the girl I told I'd wait for a century for' on Klaus'. "The last time I talked to him was a couple months ago, now that I think of it," she confesses.

Elijah swears under his breath. "Caroline, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't urgent. I'm prepared to make any necessary arrangements where your education is concerned."

She opens her mouth to say no, that she's very sorry but she just _can't_. Not this time. But her jaw snaps closed and she squeezes her eyes shut when Elijah speaks again, more desperation in his voice than she thinks imaginable for someone so poised, so calm, cool, and collected.

"Niklaus…he's spiraling. Worse than his usual downward plunge and I fear if I don't find a way to intervene, he'll flip his switch and forsake what little humanity he has left."

Caroline gulps. Klaus was already bad enough with his switch _on_ and she shudders at the thought of what it would mean for her friends (and maybe even her) if he were to actually turn it off. She swallows, fear eating away at her heart, and she's not quite sure who it's for- herself, her friends, or the hybrid that's weaseled his way into her life and her heart. Caroline lets her breath out in a tired and exasperated huff.

"When do you want me to leave?"

* * *

On Saturday, she finds herself being driven through the streets of New Orleans, watching the city pass by through the window of the sleek black town car Elijah sent to pick her up from the airport. He had apologized profusely for the last minute change of plans the night before, assuring her that he would be at the house upon her arrival but had some business to take care of with their witches beforehand. She spends the thirty minute car ride trying to harness her excitement. It's her first time off the east coast and it's in a city that has jumped to the top of her 'To Visit' list simply because of the way Klaus spoke about it with such reverence and fondness it warmed her heart and brought a small smile to her lips. But this is more than likely not going to be a pleasure trip so Caroline gets her fill by looking out the window and making a note to make it very clear to the hybrid that he owes her for this. Big time.

Before she knows it, the car has come to a stop and the driver is opening her door for her. She smiles in thanks as he pulls her bag out of the trunk and hands it to her. With a deep breath she heads up the walkway of the aged but upscale townhouse and that's when she hears it, reverberating through the warm air and shaking the Spanish moss hanging above her head.

Arguing. Explosive yelling reaches her ears in the otherwise peaceful atmosphere and Caroline's eyes widen when she makes out Klaus' voice. She flashes off in the direction of the altercation and skids to a stop in front of a cracked door, pushing it open to stand hesitantly in the threshold. Her breath catches when she sees Klaus and…is that _Hayley_ standing nose to nose, snarling in each other's faces. Elijah and Rebekah are behind each, Elijah holding Klaus' arms behind his back as the hybrid struggles to get as close as he can to the she-wolf.

Hayley's screaming, her voice shaking with unshed tears. "You got to hold him!"

Caroline's brows furrow in confusion but then Klaus is yelling back and Caroline can't quite make out his words but it's something about how he should have let her die when he had the chance, or taken her out even before then, something about false weaknesses and an unnecessary liability.

A pop resonates loud and clear within in the space of the living room, a crack of skin hitting skin and Rebekah's dragging Hayley backwards, away from Klaus and Elijah's tightening his grip.

"At least that way the world would have been saved from having any more bastards like you!"

Klaus lunges and Caroline thanks god (if one even exists) Elijah's there to hold him back. Otherwise she would have had a front row seat to a dog fight - one she's sure Hayley would not have made it out of.

"Mind your manners, little wolf," Klaus snarls, his low voice dripping with danger, all fangs and golden eyes.

It's then that Caroline spots it, a strange object in the corner of the room closest to where Rebekah is shielding Hayley. It looks so foreign in this house of horrors that Caroline can't do anything but stare at it as it stands there, almost patronizingly, amongst the monsters snarling at each other.

With a final, lingering look at the bassinet, Caroline takes a deep breath and steps over the threshold. "Klaus?" she says and curses how meek her voice sounds. All four beings look to her and her eyes find Klaus' immediately. He gasps, mouth falling open slightly as gold gives way to the blue-green ever so slowly. Caroline watches the spectacular aqua color Klaus' expressive orbs take on until all the gold has receded. His fangs retract and his tense posture slackens in Elijah's grip, enough for Elijah to drop his guard a little.

"Caroline?" he asks, just as quietly and she can't even smile at the surprise in his voice. It's the first time she's seen him in _months_ and she can't even think about how much she missed him, how happy she should be to see him. Instead, they only stare at each other in the tense, deafening silence.

It isn't fair, she thinks. Even though Caroline isn't quite sure what kind of reunion they deserve, she knows this isn't it.

Klaus' defeated stance becomes rigid once more as he rips his stormy yet steely gaze away from her to whirl on his brother. He shoves Elijah but only hard enough that he takes a half step backwards before recovering from the blow, but Klaus is quick to get in his face once again.

"What did you do?" he bites out slowly in a very low, dangerous voice that sends chills running up and down Caroline's spine.

Elijah places a gentle hand on Klaus' shoulder and tilts his head so Klaus has no choice but to look into the elder man's deep brown eyes. "She's here to help, Niklaus."

"I don't need her help," Klaus snarls and all that's missing from the picture in front of her is froth dripping from Klaus' mouth as he, once again, prepares to lunge.

"Klaus," Caroline tries again, taking another half step towards the brothers before the hybrid's haunted yellow eyes and treacherous fangs halt her in her tracks. She can see his pain under the rage- the hurt and the confusion, the fear and loneliness. He's a hurt animal, lashing out in aggression to protect himself.

"Take her away," he chokes out, eyes never once leaving her face. No one moves and Caroline feels her throat constrict, and whether it's out of pity or her worst fear of rejection or a mixture of both she doesn't know.

"Don't be unreasonable, Niklaus," Elijah tries to reason.

Klaus takes him by the collar and whirls, slamming Elijah into a nearby wall. "She's not needed here. I do not want her here. You will do as I say and remove her from my sight, Elijah!" he yells, picking his brother up by the throat and holding him there, feet dangling just inches from the floor.

Caroline feels the tears burn her eyes. It's so painfully obvious that Klaus needs…something but Caroline isn't sure she'll be enough to assuage him of whatever torturing thoughts and emotions are plaguing him. Not this time. She has no idea why he's acting like this but she can see what Elijah was saying - he's still in there but just barely. His humanity is still on, buried under anger and hanging by a smaller shred than she remembered, and if the way he was just lashing out and the way he greeted Caroline - with such reverence - wasn't indication enough, then the tears threatening to spill out onto his cheeks and break Caroline's heart has to be.

Caroline can see his wheels turning as he thinks about how to best go about forcing his will on Elijah. Before he can do something he'll regret, Caroline flashes forward, thanking her lucky stars Klaus' back is to her, and places her hands on either side of his head. She twists with all her might.

She takes a deep, shaky breath when the hybrid slumps forward, his neck twisted at an awkward angle. Elijah catches the hybrid before he hits the ground, and his eyes meet Caroline's, lips stretched into a smirk, as if this is some sick and twisted joke, while shrugging to straighten his suit.

"That most certainly did not go as well as I had anticipated," he quips.

Rebekah cackles from across the room. "You could say that again. However I wouldn't waste my breath. He will be out for blood when he comes to, and you, dear brother, better have a bloody good plan if you intend for Caroline to survive her first trip to New Orleans."

Caroline gulps, looking down at Klaus' lifeless figure. She shouldn't have done it, she knows, and, quite frankly, she's surprised she was able to even muster the courage to snap his neck in the first place. But Rebekah's right. If Klaus was livid before, he'll be even more incensed upon waking.

"Enough, Rebekah," Elijah chides, readjusting his hold on the hybrid before he begins to drag him elsewhere. "Why don't you make yourself useful and take Hayley out while I deal with Niklaus and Miss Forbes?"

It's more of a demand than a suggestion and Rebekah doesn't need to be told twice. She grabs the brunette by the wrist, pulling the shaking and crying she-wolf to the door.

For all her 'tough-bitch' attitude, Caroline thinks Rebekah could have hidden the glimmer of tears in her clear blue eyes better. The baby vampire watches them leave, their shoes clicking on the polished wooden floors, before she follows after Elijah, her eyes catching sight of the bassinet once more. She enters the bedroom Elijah disappeared into in time to see him push a syringe into Klaus' already healing neck.

"It's a concoction of Wolfsbane and Vervain to keep him down for a bit longer," Elijah explains, looking up at her as he pulls the needle out and Caroline ventures forward, eyes never leaving Klaus' unconscious form laying on the bed. Caroline looks up at him and nods before returning her attention to Klaus and Elijah does the same.

"What the hell is going on?" Caroline asks, her voice no more than a whisper.

"The one time he listens to me about secrecy," Elijah says with a shake of his head and Caroline cocks a questioning eyebrow. "I say we have an hour or so until he needs another dose should that be necessary. Shall we?" Elijah gestures to the door and Caroline nods, casting one last glance back at Klaus before scurrying out the door, Elijah pulling it closed behind them.

An hour and a half later, Caroline's pacing in front of the still-unconscious hybrid's bed in the aftermath of Elijah's tale. Her throat's constricted as she waits, for what she doesn't know- him to wake up _obviously_ but besides that, she has no idea what's in store for her; she feels like she could throw-up for several different reasons but if Caroline's being truthful with herself, it's mainly because he didn't tell her. She had no clue he had been expecting a baby when she had told him every miniscule detail of her life during all their brief conversations they'd had since he'd left on Graduation. She isn't mad, not at all-it's not like he owed her celibacy, or anything for that matter even though he vowed 'however long it takes'.

She doesn't give a damn about secrecy when Elijah gives her that whole spiel. In fact, she had rolled her eyes and scoffed in his face when he'd tried to reason with her about that. Okay, she can see _why_ it was important with what they are trying to accomplish down here, but still. Klaus could have told _her_. Looking back on those few phone calls they'd shared, Caroline remembers the strain in his voice. He sounded so weary and drained, so completely _done_. She'd always wanted to ask if everything was alright but never did, she'd just assumed it was revolution business weighing him down and now…now she wishes she had asked. It had been so painfully obvious that he had needed someone to listen to him should he choose (choose being the key word) to open up instead of him listening to her blab on and on about college cheerleading and how stupid and infuriating her lab partner was when he'd needed a friend-

-when he'd needed _her_.

But what's done is done. There's no point in beating herself up over not being as attentive to the tone of his voice. She's here now and that what matters. Better late than never and all that jazz.

A groan from the bed makes Caroline's thoughts and repetitive steps screech to a halt and she shyly looks over at him, watching Klaus wipe a hand over his face and rub his neck as he comes to. His eyes are still closed and Caroline dreads the moment he opens them although she knows that he's probably well aware of who's waiting for him.

Caroline stops breathing when he sits up abruptly, all but jumping off the bed, and looks around the room with wide eyes, recollecting what happened before he finds her.

"Hey," she says quietly, moving towards the bed with hesitant steps. A small, sad, strained smile graces her lips once she's sitting on the edge. She can feel the anger radiating off his body, it's raw and barely suppressed and Caroline suddenly feels tiny and disposable sitting so close, facing him head on- in the direct line of his wrath. She watches him watch her with his stormy gaze and she reaches out slowly, oh so slowly, to take his large hand in her much smaller one.

Only, he doesn't let her.

Klaus bares his teeth and growls, the guttural sound ripping from deep in his throat before he stands and storms out of the room, the door banging with enough force to put a hole in the opposite wall. The reverberating sound makes Caroline jump out of her skin as she stares after him. It takes her a minute to recover but then she's jumping off the bed to follow Klaus. She strides past Elijah who's sitting on the couch nursing a glass of deep red wine and a worn book and out of the upscale townhouse into the comfortable Louisiana night. Caroline knows Klaus knows she's following him down the street and, watching the tense line of his back, she's frightened he'll speed off in annoyance, leaving Caroline in the dust to fend for herself against god only knows what.

He doesn't, though. He only walks along the cobblestoned streets with long, angry, driving strides that nearly have Caroline jogging to keep up. Caroline thinks he's hoping she'll give up and turn around so when she doesn't, he makes no attempts to hide his displeasure as he stomps down an empty side street.

"Stop hounding me!" he snarls.

Caroline's yanked unwillingly back in time to another encounter between the two of them that ended in a sorta kinda friendship. "I think we can both agree that it's your brother doing the hounding this time."

"He should learn to stop putting his nose where it doesn't belong."

"I think his nose belongs in your business when you're being a first-rate asshole who's too stubborn for his own good."

Klaus comes to an abrupt stop and throws his head back in exasperation. "Is that why he called you, then? Because he's a hopeless, lovesick fool who believes I can be controlled by dangling what he wrongly assumes to be my weaknesses in front of my nose as a reward like I'm some kind of pet or impudent child?"

Caroline closes her eyes against the sharp sting of his words- she knows it's a lie. She knows how important she is to him- hello, _'However long it takes'_ and the other slew of swoon-worthy statements he's thrown her. His words, not hers- and if she weren't then he'd be doing so much worse to hurt her. "No," she snaps, crossing her arms and stopping about five feet away from where he's standing, the street light faintly illuminating the space that separates them, leaving them both in a bleak dimness.

"Then why are you here, Caroline?" he asks, turning around to level her, size her up with a glare.

"Because my _friend_," she emphasizes while shooting him a glare of her own, "is being a selfish asshole and his brother thinks he's this," she holds her fingers up to indicate a small, teeny tiny space, "close to flipping his switch and I can't let that happen."

Klaus laughs- a hollow, humorless, and utterly cruel sound that echoes in the deserted street, sending ice shooting straight into her heart and down her spine. "I'm not some charity project," he snaps, walking closer to her with measured steps. "I'm not a candidate in the running to be your next patient. I do not need a sober sponsor. I am not that pathetic!" he screams in her face. "And it would do you well to get that through your pretty little head, sweetheart. _I cannot be fixed_."

Her eyes are closed against his hot breath fanning out across her cheeks and curling around her nose, against the poorly disguised pain in his eyes. When she doesn't respond, Klaus turns on his heel and continues to walk away, further into the night. But Caroline doesn't plan on giving up that easily, he should know. With her eyes still squeezed shut she speaks again. "I know what happened," she whispers.

He stops and Caroline opens her eyes to see him rooted to his spot twenty feet away. He glances at her over his shoulder. Even when he's cast in shadow and not facing her completely, she can see the vulnerability that's apparent in his entire being. It lasts less than a second before he hardens, harnessing the unwanted, overwhelming emotions and masking it behind anger.

"I don't want your pity," he says, a soft tone to his clipped voice. "Take it and leave."

"Why are you acting like this!?" she suddenly screams, throwing her hands out in exasperation. "You are _not_ the only one to have ever been through this- to be going through this!"

"And what would you know, hm? You're eighteen-years-old, forever frozen at seventeen. _You. Are. A. Child_," he says in the most condescending tone imaginable, turning back around, his face an impenetrable mask, eyes dark and hardened in frustration.

"I'm not oblivious, Klaus. I know a _lot_ more than you think. I also don't have my head stuck up my own ass, Your Worldliness." He growls but Caroline doesn't pay him any mind, she's too riled up and he'd said he'd never hurt her- not that she trusts his word entirely; Caroline knows there is a very real chance he was only telling her what she wanted to hear- her experience with Damon taught her as much.

(Well… it at least drilled the lesson into her head once she got her memories back, that is.)

"Things like this happen every day, Klaus! It's tragic and awful and unfair but it's life- it's_ human_," she tries to reason. "You're allowed to be sad. You have every right in the world to be angry and upset. _Your child_ was taken away from you. All you've ever wanted was a family and was twisted as your attempts were, you finally got the chance. I would be astounded if you weren't suffering. But this?" Caroline asks, gesturing at him. "This is too much. Acting like you've given up? This isn't you!"

"And how would you know? You know what I want you to and nothing more. You. Know. _Nothing_ about me, little vampire."

"Well, you don't know me, either!" she snaps, looking up at Klaus in pure defiance. He only raises his chin to peer at her down his nose and Caroline's come to recognize that as a warning sign, a defensive gesture so she backtracks where she normally would have pressed on and gotten herself in trouble. She blinks and raises her own chin, not missing the gleam of unshed tears in Klaus' unguarded blue-green orbs. "My mom miscarried once and had a stillborn. Both before me. She almost lost me, too," Caroline whispers. It's a secret she never really wanted to disclose to her best friends let alone Klaus. "Sometimes I think about what could have been, what it would have been like to have siblings," she continues wistfully. "And when my dad left I thought it was my mom's fault because she couldn't give him anymore kids. I thought he hated me because I was a reminder of something he couldn't have more of.

"I know more than you think," she finishes and waits with bated breath for Klaus to say something, to blink, to breathe but he's frozen. His eyes drift between her and the ground as he shuffles his feet, likely debating whether to run or not, so Caroline takes his hands in hers and makes the decision for him.

"You are not alone in this," she says slowly, moving so he has no choice but to look at her and listen, comprehend what she's saying to the best of his twisted and dark capabilities. She doesn't force him to keep the eye contact, though. The last thing she wants is to push him into a corner, trap him, because when has _that_ ever ended well- uh, never. "I was terrible to my mom for years after my dad left because she struggled to connect with me and I thought it was because she hated me but I didn't realize she was suffering, too. And when I learned the real reason my dad left, I didn't know how to apologize. I was scared she wouldn't forgive me and I almost completely pushed my mom away because of it."

Caroline forces a smile and squeezes his hands, her eyes wandering over his defeated figure and she wonders how someone so strong and powerful can be so bruised and scarred and battered but still carry on for so long. She wonders when the last time he'd had a shoulder to lean on was. And then, with a tear of her own sliding down her cheek, Caroline answers her own question- they are the same after all, she and him. She drops his calloused hands only to pull him into a hesitant hug.

Klaus tenses under her gentle touch but Caroline let go and he begins to relax in her embrace. He doesn't return it, he just stands in her arms and Caroline feels the tension drain out of his back under her fingertips-she knows he finds solace, a brief moment of relief from the past two months of his personal hell.

She holds him tighter as a couple more of her own tears escape. "Don't shut us out," she whispers into the hollow below his ear. "Don't do what I did. Do not push your family away, not when you need them most and not when they need you...I mean isn't the whole point of you all being here to regain your kingdom or whatever?"

She knows it sounds like a derisible plea but Caroline really doesn't care at this point; Klaus on a bender isn't really a supernatural apocalypse Caroline wants to face and, let's be real here: they'd all be screwed. So, she presses him tighter to her small body as the last bit of tension leaves his broad shoulders before continuing- she knows she brings out his humanity, she gets it, okay? If this is what she has to resort to, that's fine with her and probably better for them…him.

Caroline feels him fight a scoff and Klaus begins to pull away. Caroline lets him go- far be it from her to try and make the Original hybrid look all cuddly and pathetic in public. He backs up a couple steps and when Caroline looks up at him, she sees his mask is still firmly set on his face but the tears in his eyes are all too telling and Caroline takes a moment to look at him, really look at him for the first time since she's been here. He's exhausted, that much she can tell- emotionally, mentally, and physically- not that she can blame him in the least. For someone who struggles to deal with raw emotion the way Klaus does, Caroline thinks it really is a miracle he's managed to keep it together.

(And by together, she means that in typical Klaus 'together' which is more like a strange, more or less organized chaos.)

In the dim moonlight, she can see his skin's taken on a grayish pallor and she gets the feeling that he's not been feeding, at least not as much as his normal quota- whatever that is. Caroline really doesn't want to think about it. She knows he isn't some addict, okay? But she figures he prefers a live feeding over the artificial ones she likes and if he's anything like a certain Salvatore it's just gross to think about.

She takes one last look at the hybrid before pressing her lips into a small smile and holding her hand out to him.

Relief floods through her when he takes it.

* * *

For a minute she thinks she's missed the memo about some important meeting. Everyone- Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah, Hayley, and some other girl with intense eyes and dark hair- are all in the living room downstairs when she joins them, ready to go out for the evening, courtesy of Rebekah. But it's not just the normal crowd she's been with the last two days- there are five others on the opposite side of the room. The silence is tense, thick and tangible and Caroline does not like it one bit

Stopping in the doorway, she finds Klaus immediately. He's lazily sprawled out in a leather armchair, lowball glass halfway filled with amber liquid in hand and seems to be half-heartedly listening as he swirls the liquor around. A tall black man with a hard, doubtful look on his face and a terrible 'there is _no way_ I'm up to any good' glint in his eyes stands with arms crossed over his chest is in front of Klaus. He reeks of charisma and arrogance and it takes Caroline a beat to realize this is him.

Marcel: the current king of New Orleans, Klaus' protégé, his once upon a time friend, and now his rival, his sworn enemy. An interloper, a dark horse in Klaus' scheme.

She's heard enough about him in the past couple days, and a few passing comments from Klaus over the past few months, to immediately have a certain disdain for him. It's either that moral compass or her age-old adage to be mindful of the 'bad boys' that, somehow, she _always_ ends up with- not that she has any intentions of 'being' with the intimidating vampire she's watching.

"You know I'm terribly sorry your loss, mate. We've been over this countless times, however. I haven't been in contact with any werewolves," Klaus is saying with raised brows and pursed lips, as if he's surprised Marcel would be accusing him of...of what, Caroline isn't sure but Klaus looks like he's gleefully lying through his teeth. He pauses to finish the last bit of whatever liquor he's swirling around in the lowball glass and reaches to place it on a side table once he's done. "You'll have to look elsewhere, I'm afraid."

Marcel nods, and inches closer to the hybrid. "Well, I just thought your place would be the first to look since your little bitch is still hanging around. I'll send your best to Davina, by the way," he says chidingly, nodding towards Hayley with a wide, twisted smile before glancing back at Klaus when the hybrid growls, raising his chin and locking eyes with Marcel. The other vampire only laughs, all pearly white teeth and the glint in his eyes only shines brighter at Klaus' annoyance as the hybrid's short temper begins to rear its ugly head.

The room falls into silence once again and Marcel scans the deathly silent room. His brows shoot upwards in interest when he spots Caroline standing in the back. She freezes and her breath catches painfully in her throat as his eyes rake over her body as if he's undressing her. A shiver runs down her spine when Marcel inches around Klaus and begins to slowly make his way towards her, all the while looking at her like she's his next meal and it's enough to make adrenaline flow through her veins like a flood- it's like her senses are further heightened as she looks for an escape without really taking her eyes off Marcel.

"Well, well, well. You are most _certainly_ a sight for sore eyes, gorgeous. Who would you be and, more importantly, why are you running with this unfortunate crowd?" he asks, rubbing his hands together excitedly as if he's about to sit down at a feast. Without completely turning his back on whom Caroline assumes are Marcel's followers, Klaus' head whips in her direction and he growls loudly, his eyes boring into Marcel's back as a warning and, although his eyes haven't turned, Caroline swears she sees fangs hanging in his mouth and black veins bubbling under his eyes. "Cat got your tongue, sweetpea? I won't bite, I promise." His smile grows, if possible. "I just want to warn you about a furry, little problem, is all. I would be upset if a pretty face like yours was a casualty. It's nass-_ty _business," he drawls.

Caroline's about to answer, she's trying to swallow and slow her breathing down so she can form words as Marcel continues stalk towards her with all the grace of a lethal cat when Hayley, who's standing midway between her and Klaus, steps in Marcel's path. She doesn't growl or try to engage him in anyway, only stands between him and Caroline until Marcel laughs, throwing his head back. "You've certainly got this one on a tight leash but that's the way you like them isn't it, Nik?" Marcel laughs, backing away while looking Hayley, then Caroline, up and down one last time. "Well, _friend_, if you happen to hear about any more pesky wolves in my city don't hesitate to tell me. Can't have that nasty business we had a couple months ago recur tomorrow night, can we?"

Klaus walks up to the vampire with a false smirk of his own. "It'd be quite a_ travesty_, mate. Now, if that's all the _King_," the word is nothing less than a sneer tumbling from Klaus' lips, "requires, then I'd be most appreciative if you would see yourself out."

With a curt nod and mocking smirk- as if he's relishing in the disdain with which Klaus said 'king', a clear statement of 'I have what you want and I _love_ how it makes the hair on the back of your neck bristle', Marcel turns to leave, but before he can so much as leave the living room, Klaus calls out to him again.

"Give my best to Cami, mate."

Marcel pauses, his back tense, fingers clenching in anger. He doesn't say anything though, just continues on his way out, his entourage trailing behind him.

They aren't alone for five minutes before the girl Caroline doesn't know whirls on Klaus.

"You _what_?!"

The hybrid laughs- or maybe, Caroline thinks, cackles is the more appropriate description. "I brought a friend in from out of town during the full moon a couple months ago. She's a bit of wild-child," Hayley snorts and Klaus looks nothing less than sickly amused as he continues, "so, you'll have to forgive her less than cordial behavior. Her actions have certainly made Marcel paranoid."

"You brought a _werewolf_ into the French Quarter. On the full moon. And let her roam free?" she says, speaking slowly as if to clarify her statement. "Do you have _any_ idea what could have happened?! What you could have brought about before we're ready?!"

The hybrid smirks wickedly as he busies himself with pouring another glass of whatever liquor he's chosen as his drink of choice for the evening. The look on his face sends chills down Caroline's spine; oh, he knows, alright. His entire countenance is screaming 'oh, but it did happen and I dare you to do something about it' but the leer is the only attention he gives Sophie before he looks up at Caroline and then to Rebekah.

"And what are your plans for the evening?" Klaus asks, more to Rebekah than Caroline even though his eyes flit back to her and look her up and down, as if checking in with her. She's still shell shocked by Marcel. The vampire didn't even touch her, came nowhere close thanks to Hayley (and don't even get Caroline started on that because _what_? Hayley _hates_ her…snapped neck in the Mystic Grill's bathroom, duh) but he still managed to startle her.

"Are you serious?" Sophie asks and Caroline just stares, trying to wrap her head around the disbelief coloring Sophie's voice because, yes Klaus is serious- everyone in the room knows that. If he doesn't want to talk about something, he sure as hell isn't going to. But the girl keeps standing there in disbelief, looking between Elijah and Klaus. The elder Mikaelson pinches the bridge of his nose and Sophie lets out an exasperated huff before marching up to the hybrid. "You are on a warpath, one we aren't ready for. We _will_ be talking about this," she snaps, pointing at him and Caroline does her best to hold in a snort at the girl's move because, really? Has anyone told her that they're _vampires_ (well, an infuriating, invincible hybrid in Klaus' case) and it takes a little more than finger-pointing to intimidate them. Sophie stomps out when Klaus only raises his eyebrows in amusement, Elijah following her.

"Well?" Klaus asks again, looking at Rebekah expectantly.

"And why does it matter?"

"Because I'm going with you."

Rebekah pouts and stomps her foot, flipping her straight blond locks over her shoulder. "Bloody hell, there's no need for you to stake your claim simply because your most revered and hated student batted his eyes at Caroline to get even further under your skin than he already is, Nik! In fact, you should be thanking Hayley for doing what she did but since when do you know how to show gratitude?"

Klaus only glares at his sister with a cocked eyebrow for a moment, waiting for her to fold underneath the pressure but Rebekah never does; she folds her arms over her chest and glares right back at him. It's a strange battle of wills over something silly and Caroline watches in disbelief- she knows siblings argue over stupid things (hello, Elena and Jeremy!) but to see the two oldest, most powerful beings in the world bickering like they're twelve and fifteen over whether or not Caroline and Rebekah need a chaperone is a bit too much and Caroline struggles to hold in a laugh.

He downs another glass of liquor before leaning on the table. "Now, where are we going?"

* * *

The house is suspiciously silent when Caroline emerges from her room around eleven o'clock and she treads quietly down stairs. She just wants to make sure they aren't in some 'Top Secret' war council or something before she struts into the kitchen still in her short pajama bottoms and old t-shirt with a pounding head and aching gums- she drank a _little_ much last night, okay? It's been a stressful few days and last night's encounter was much too nerve wracking in her opinion, thank you very much. In fact, it's really the first time Caroline has even partied since she and Tyler broke up and she found out about Bonnie's death and Stefan's doppelganger dilemma. So with Klaus' eyes following her every move last night, she had felt safe enough to unwind a little… okay, a lot. Sue her, whatever, she got back here and tucked safely into her borrowed bed after a drunken and steamy make out session with aforementioned hybrid- make out session _only_. She vaguely remembers putting an end to the mood by drunkenly stumbling over an explanation about no grief sex being the same rule she'd invoked with Tyler at one point.

Oops.

But, this morning, the house is empty. She's thankful but confused, to say the least- it's usually a madhouse (even more so than usual, okay? The Mikaelsons are psychotic on a good day) around here in the morning or at least it has been the past few mornings that Caroline's been here.

She enters the kitchen with her brows pulled together and she almost (_almost_) breathes a sigh of relief when she finds Hayley sitting on a barstool painting her nails. The she-wolf looks up at Caroline and answers her unspoken question.

"They went out. Elijah dragged Klaus to talk to Sophie about the wolf situation even though he's fucked that up. Whatever. I don't blame him- I'm sick of having to listen to and follow her rules, too, and it isn't even my revolution."

Not knowing how to respond, Caroline just nods and crosses over to the refrigerator and pulls out a bag of B+, keeping an ear on Hayley the entire time. The girl makes her uncomfortable, okay? She's a vampire, Hayley's a werewolf. They're mortal enemies; there's already enough bad blood between her and Hayley and Caroline feels like it would be all too easy for them to get into it. But then again, Hayley stepped in between her and a deadly vampire who kidnapped her as if she felt the need to protect Caroline twelve hours ago.

And, seriously? What's up with _that_?

It's very unclear and Caroline refuses to be blamed for being confused about the whole situation.

Hayley sighs and replaces the cap back on the deep red nail polish. "Silent treatment. Awesome; it's not like I'm ignored and hated enough around here anyways."

Caroline's brow creases again. "I'm sorry?" The brunette looks up at her in surprise, as if she hadn't meant to speak aloud and shakes her head.

"Everyone hates me for different things. You already despise me because of Tyler and I know you came here for Klaus, to clean up the mess _I_ made. I get it."

Wait…

_What_?

It's all she can do to keep her jaw from dropping and the blood that's in her mouth from spilling out. Caroline blinks a couple times to make sure she isn't imagining things. Nope, Hayley's still sitting there when she's sure her vision isn't blurry and she can't stop herself from blurting, "Excuse me?" because, no _way_ is Hayley her favorite person but since when has the word 'hate' been thrown into the equation because of Tyler and Klaus? She's so over the stance she took about Hayley getting off free and clear while Klaus threw a massive fit over Tyler. Like, as in 'that's so yesterday' over. Hayley just keeps looking at her so Caroline tries again. "I mean…you're definitely _not_ my favorite person but I wouldn't say I hate you."

Hayley rolls her eyes.

"And seriously? You think this is your fault?" she asks to clarify. Hayley doesn't respond, she only begins to fiddle with her fingers. "You think the fact that the you got taken and tortured by Marcel and some psycho teenage witch and bore a stillborn is your fault?" Caroline watches the other girl closely as she speaks slowly, trying to wrap her head around the idea.

The brunette just shrugs and looks away. "That's what he makes it seem like," she says quietly.

"Klaus?" Hayley doesn't even need to answer for Caroline to know and it makes her bristle, for whom she doesn't know but it just aggravates her and all she wants to do is slap the hybrid silly. She knows Klaus is flawed but she would hope beyond all hope that he would understand that Hayley had no control over this, no more than he did. "This was _not_ your fault, Hayley," Caroline says, staring straight at the other girl.

The she-wolf finally looks back up at Caroline and she sees the unshed tears shining in her hazel eyes. "I know. I just…there was so much hope riding on this. Klaus might've not admitted it to anyone but I could tell. He wanted this- it scared the hell out of him but there was a part of him that wanted it. So badly. He was really starting to come around and when I saw him hold our son…," Hayley pauses, swiping at a tear that's fallen on her cheek. "But it doesn't matter. I couldn't give it to him and I hate it," she finishes in a whisper.

It's quiet for a moment as Caroline takes it all in. She pushes the nerves and regret and other insecurities aside with a hard swallow before voicing her next question.

"Do you love him?"

Hayley laughs a little, it's deflated and humorless and uncertain but still a laugh and Caroline shoots her a glare. It was an honest question, okay? Caroline saw the way Hayley was watching him last night, the way she's speaking about him and, hey, they shared a very intimate and beautiful and tragic and _human_ experience together that Caroline can't even begin to fathom. She only knows that things like that have the tendency to push people together in strange ways so forgive her for asking.

"Klaus is my Alpha," she explains. "I chose him, gave myself over to him and he accepted me. I knew exactly what I was doing and, god, was I stupid thinking it would be so simple. But the baby established us as a breeding pair and since he's an Alpha, it pushed us to the top. The New Orleans pack doesn't have a breeding pair and their Alpha is sort of a recluse so that's how we got a foot in the door with them but now that we've lost that, I'm just waiting for him to make his decision on what to do with me."

"So you're waiting for Klaus to…kick you out? Or…?" _Or worse._

"I can't get back in with my family's pack. I gave myself to another Alpha. If I'm not standing with Klaus then they won't accept me. I don't have anywhere else to go and I don't really feel welcomed here anymore…not that I ever was entirely in the first place."

Caroline decides right then and there (as if watching Tyler go through the Transition wasn't already enough) it really sucks to be a werewolf. Pack mentality has to be the most confusing thing ever and this hierarchy and their sense of judgment completely blows. No doubt about it.

She takes a deep breath and looks at Hayley and never has she seen someone look so small and lost, so terrified- not even Klaus when she informed him that he loved her. She knows Klaus, knows the guilt he lives with better than most people, seen him struggle while dealing with this all because she's seen so much of the dormant and slowly rousing humanity that hangs by a thread, fighting for another chance in his dark heart and while he's looked like he's been doing (dare she say it?) better (and that's a loose interpretation as they come. This is _Klaus_ they're talking about), Caroline knows it's still haunting him. She knows he has a _long_ way to go and he'll probably regress a couple more times before he's back to being his normal infuriating hybrid asshole self but he's working on it. But it doesn't make it fair to Hayley. Definitely not.

"It may take for hell to freeze over but Klaus'll come around," she says.

"You think so?"

It's Caroline's turn to shrug. It's a coin toss, she knows. She knows he could very well snap and not come back, not ever. But it's a chance she has to take, especially if she wants to look at the big picture. This isn't just about him- there are other people involved that are grieving, too. "Yeah," she says, looking Hayley in the eye. "He's hurt and broken and it_ isn't_ your fault. He blames himself, more than you blame yours but you and I both know it's a lot easier to point fingers at everyone but yourself. I guess it was kind of like the straw that broke the camel's back. He'll figure it out, he just needs a shove in the right direction."

Hayley smiles. It doesn't reach her eyes and it's small and sad. "I hope you're right. It'd be a shame if he never realized what's standing right in front of him."

Caroline's brows crease. "I thought you said you didn't love him?"

"I don't," Hayley backtracks. "Don't worry. I can't stand the guy and he's _way_ too caught up in you to even think about any other girl in his life. He has it bad- he told me one day a few months back, well he screamed it at me actually, that he would much rather you be in this situation with him than anyone else."

Caroline rolls her eyes because that is so typically Klaus she can't even stand it. "Then why even bother? Why not go off on your own and find someone else?"

"I stayed for my pack- it's not just the witches in need of liberation down here. Marcel forced my family out of New Orleans with their tails between their legs and when Klaus takes over, they'll be welcomed back. And," she adds quietly after a brief pause, "I didn't want my kid to be raised without both of his real parents. But that doesn't mean there isn't a part of me that does care about him in some way. He's my Alpha…his well-being has a direct impact on mine so I'm kinda obligated to care. It's nothing compared to how you feel about him, though. And, I guess, it'd be a shame if he could never get himself together enough for one of the only people who don't put up with his bullshit and get away with it."

Caroline bites her lip and thinks about what Hayley did last night. "Is that why you stepped between me and Marcel?"

Hayley nods. "Yeah," she says with a heavy sigh. "And Klaus was not pleased about that, either. It wasn't an overly smart move on my part, I guess, since there's no better way to show who's important to an Alpha than to have a pack member move to protect him or her. But, since you're leaving in a few days, I figure that would be better than Klaus ripping the guy's head off in the living room. Elijah would have a _fit_."

She half-smiles at Hayley's joke but Caroline feels backed into a corner, a weight as heavy as the pink elephant in the room presses down on her shoulders and she doesn't respond. She can't. It's true, she knows. Klaus cares about her. She's known that for ages now- after all, he's never really been quiet about it. But it's little things like this that punch her in the gut and make her all the more aware of her growing feelings towards him because she's grateful. She's glad she has Klaus' (and his pack's) protection because sometimes she feels like she needs it, sometimes she's reminded about how young she truly is in this crazy world she's been thrown into.

It's the fact that she feels like she needs to return the favor- to have Klaus' back when he needs it.

_'I should have turned my back on you ages ago!'_

Try as she might to fight it, to put it under the guise of 'I'm doing this to keep Klaus as sane as possible to save my friends from the possibility of having an emotionless Original hybrid coming after us', Caroline Forbes cares about him. A lot. It both scares and delights her in equal parts but it feels right somehow, in a way Caroline can't even begin to justify or explain but judging by the look on Hayley's face she doesn't need to.

"I remember when I first met Tyler and all he could talk about was how much he loved you and why he had to risk his life for you because you were so great. And I thought, maybe he's just over exaggerating but then I met you and realized you really are as great as Tyler made you out to be. Then I saw how not only Tyler, but Klaus worshipped the ground you walked on. At first it bothered me- as a wolf you don't really just walk all over an alpha male like that. But then I realized that Klaus...it's the same kind of situation with him and I could never even compete. I mean, here you are, not even a wolf, and you managed to hook two powerful Alphas and wind them around your finger when I've never even been able to keep a relationship going with a _human_," Hayley says in exasperation. "I'll admit, sleeping with him was kind of a 'fuck you' towards you on my part but look where that got me."

Caroline feels like Hayley's words should come off in a more mocking way than they do. But, heck, they don't even strike her as disdainful- screw the 'mortal enemies' crap, she's proud to have caught Tyler's and Klaus' eyes.

(Klaus more so than Tyler. The guy hasn't loved anyone in 1000+ years, okay? That's pretty damn impressive if Caroline doesn't say so herself.)

"Are we playing nicely, girls?" Klaus' condescending voice cuts the air like a knife and both Caroline and Hayley turn, blonde and brown hair flying, to see him leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. After a beat, Caroline rolls her eyes- playing nicely? Isn't he the king of doing the exact opposite?

But it's the way his eyes, so possessive and predatory, pass over her as if to check on her and then bore into Hayley that makes Caroline feel uncomfortable. It makes her feel like Klaus is just waiting for Hayley to do something, to mess up, to 'cross' him one more time. She knows it would be the final straw and that he would snap- he's an unpredictable time bomb, always has been (at least for as long as Caroline's known him) and part of him probably always will be. She had said he had a long ways to go and she meant it- he's obviously still in the lash out at everyone phase. He snaps at Elijah 9 times out of 10 and becomes agitated at the mention of Sophia or whoever the other girl is quite frequently but with Hayley it's like he's just waiting with bated breath for her to do something unforgivable.

Hayley shifts under his intense gaze and hops off her barstool to try and escape it. Caroline notices the duffle bag sitting at the foot of her chair. "Where're you going?" she asks as Hayley bends over and picks it up.

"It's a full moon tonight," she answers, looking at Caroline. "Third one since..since the baby," Klaus visibly tenses, "and since we kinda made a mess a couple months ago and Sophie now knows it, I can't stay in the city. It breaks Marcel's rules so Sophie's on crackdown…for now," she says with a smirk as she begins to walk towards Klaus, looking him up and down. "Sophie's taking me elsewhere."

"Oh," Caroline says, suddenly aware of how awkward the situation is with the addition of Klaus' unrelenting eye contact. She's standing in the middle of the Originals' kitchen in her pajamas (she doesn't even have a bra on, sheesh) with a half finished blood bag hanging in her hand after having a heart-to-heart about the man standing in the doorway with his ex-baby mama. And what do you even say to a werewolf as they head off to face a painful Transition? Good luck? Break a leg? Hasta la vista, baby?

Thankfully, Hayley seems to have picked up on it too, because she turns back around in the doorway to look at Caroline. "For the record…I _don't_ hate you. I'm_ jealous_ of you, Caroline." She looks Caroline in the eyes one last time, an apologetic, tight-lipped smile pulling the corners of her mouth upwards before she walks completely past Klaus, bowing her head as she passes him, and down the hall.

Caroline watches her go, well aware of Klaus' blue gaze on her, studying her curiously. She looks up at him after a moment and feels her heart clench in her chest. Although he reeks of annoyance and has the air of someone who's just been lectured (not that he listened to and took said lecture seriously, of course), he looks a bit better than he did three days ago, like he's gotten more sleep and blood and, for that, Caroline's thankful. Baby steps, she reminds herself. Slow and steady.

His gaze doesn't soften the way it normally does when he's looking at her and Caroline begins to panic a bit, wondering how much of their conversation he heard because he'd appeared all of a sudden like he'd been there the entire time- she hadn't even heard the door open or the floor creak under his weight. Like, what even is that?

(Annoying, is what. Damn hybrid.)

But then his face clears and he perks up a bit, taking in her bed-ragged appearance with an amused fondness. "Run along and get dressed, love. It's a nice day out and there's a charming little seafood restaurant down the street I've become rather fond of. It'd be a shame if you didn't get to scratch the surface of the French Quarter on this little excursion," he says with a smirk.

Awkwardness and insecurities forgotten, Caroline smiles brightly and finishes her blood bag before sashaying out of the kitchen (don't judge, okay? Three days ago she didn't even think sightseeing would be something on her to-do list for this trip), pretending for a moment that all is right in the world.

* * *

With Elijah and Rebekah out and Hayley off to the bayou, Caroline's left to her own devices for the night. Well, she's not entirely alone. Klaus is here, sitting on the other end of the leather sofa sketching as Caroline absentmindedly flips through the channels on the ridiculously large flat screen. It's late on a Wednesday night so there's nothing on and she has no idea where her usual channels are and she's not about to ask Klaus because, seriously, how much TV would the Original hybrid watch? And if he did watch anything, Caroline's certain it wouldn't be anything on Lifetime, MTV, Style, ABC Family or any of the other channels she frequents.

Besides, he's engrossed in whatever it is he's sketching. As in it's all he's been doing since he sat down with her a couple hours ago and Elijah seemed pleased that he was returning to his locus of control. He'd told her that ever since they lost the baby, Klaus' various sketchbooks had sat, untouched and the door to his studio had remained closed so far be it for Caroline to interrupt him although she's positive Klaus is completely aware of everything going on in the quiet house.

So she settles on _Juno_ after she passes it for, like, the fifth time. She feels bad for a moment, it's probably super insensitive of her but whatever, sue her. Klaus doesn't even bat an eye and she loves this movie in all its awkward glory.

The credits are rolling before long and Caroline just sits, staring at the screen pensively as the scene between _Juno_ and her dad plays back to in her mind's eye.

_"I'm just, like, losing my faith in humanity."_

It bothers Caroline to no end that Klaus, at least from what Hayley said, blames everything on her. She expects it because that's so Klaus to lash out and place the blame on anyone other than himself but it just makes her really uncomfortable. Because _why_? Why does he even hate her so much? She gets that Elijah's not pressing Klaus about things that'll trigger his temper because he's his brother and what not but still. It's not fair for Klaus to walk away, nearly flip his switch, come back and get coddled by everyone as they walk on eggshells around his unpredictable ass while Hayley waits for his judgment or whatever. Not one bit.

"Why do you hate Hayley?"

The words are out before she can stop them and Caroline resists the urge to slap her hand over her mouth although she's sure her eyes are as wide as saucers. She waits for him to refuse an answer through a growl or a snarl or a roll of his eyes or _something_ but he does nothing, continues on as if he never heard her.

With a gulp, Caroline decides to press her luck. The floodgates have been opened and she's curious, she has been ever since the other morning. She only has a couple days left- she'd told Elijah she'd come for a week, no more- and she's trying to do everything in her power to push him in the right direction; not that he's making her job easy but when has anything to do with Klaus ever belonged in the same sentence as 'easy'? He's putting up a front that he's okay, that he's better but Caroline knows- they are the same, after all. But he's going to have to deal with the hard stuff eventually. There's no way this tragedy can stay water under the bridge, especially if…

No. Caroline swallows. She can't let herself go there even though the thought is haunting the back of her mind, has been ever since Elijah told her, ever since Hayley said what she did-_ "there was a part of him that wanted it. So badly. He was really starting to come around and when I saw him hold our son…. But it doesn't matter. I couldn't give it to him and I hate it."_ It's not like Caroline thinks she can push it from her mind so soon but as long as it stays out of the forefront, she can deal. But that doesn't mean her insecurities are bubbling over, threatening to erupt any moment and turn her into a nervous wreck.

(Part of her will _always_ be insecure little Caroline Forbes.)

"I'm just curious," she amends, her voice barely a whisper as she looks down from the still-rolling credits to fidget with her fingers like a scolded child when she feels Klaus' gaze on her.

_"I just wonder if, like, two people can stay together for good."_

For a moment, she thinks he's going to brush over it, do the typical man avoidance and distraction thing Tyler was so fond of- tell her to get up and dressed so they can go out and wander amongst the New Orleans nightlife. But the scratching of his charcoal against the paper in his sketchpad, the brush of his hand over the thick material ceases and he sighs. Caroline waits with bated breath for his elusive answer.

"I don't hate her," he says finally. It's a quiet confession but it's there, out in the open and Caroline looks up at him. Klaus isn't looking at her, he's staring off into space as he twists the diminishing piece of charcoal around in his large hands, staining them even more than they already are.

Caroline watches the dust fall off and litter the used page before she exhales and nods, not sure how to continue because he sure as hell isn't. Emotions aren't Klaus' strong suit, she knows; he feels everything so completely, so thoroughly that it overwhelms him, it scares him because his fronts, his 'quite frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn' facades don't work and the last thing Caroline wants right now is to force him into a tantrum because, to quote Sweet Brown, ain't _nobody_ got time for that.

Telling herself that is better, _so_ much better and easier than facing the fact that she has two days until she returns home. Two days before they part ways. Two days to spend with him, not knowing the next time she'll get to do so.

(That bothers her more than one of his infamous fits.)

It's lame but she doesn't have any other ideas on how to keep the conversation flowing so she chances a glance at him. "You should talk to her, then," she mumbles.

His gaze snaps to hers and Caroline gulps, thinking for a moment that she's said the wrong thing but all he does is stare. There's a storm in his eyes- a hurricane, to be more precise. "I have," is all he says in return before his eyes and attention turn back to the sketchpad resting in his lap.

"No," Caroline insists with new found purpose- Hayley. He's being completely unfair to Hayley and that's what this is about, _not_ her insecurities. She turns her body to face him full on, tucking her legs underneath her. "By talk I mean a sit down conversation between two, mature adults who are ready to move forward from what happened. A conversation that takes place at a _normal_ volume, listening to what the other person has to say. No yelling. No snarling. No fangs."

"Why?" he scoffs.

"You know why."

He laughs. "I don't owe her anything. It was a one-night stand that had an unfortunate result, love. Nothing more, nothing less. There's no lost love between Hayley and I if that's what you're worried about. There were never any feelings other than a mutual sense of inadequacy towards those we really cared about in the first place."

Even though relief floods through her at the sting of his words, Caroline's jaw drops and she actually slaps her forehead. "Gah!" she says, running her hand down her face. "No, Klaus. That's _not_ why." He rolls his eyes instead of responding. "You wanna know why? 'Cause, I'm gonna tell you since you _refuse_ to get your head out of your ass. Your baby. _Hayley lost it, too_."

"You think I don't know that?!" he says, jumping up off the couch, spinning around to glare at her. "I handed him to her, Caroline. I handed her the body of her child. I heard her sobs; I still hear them. I'm _forced_," he grits out, "to relive that damned night everytime I close my eyes. I look down and watch my son take my finger and hold on to it before his heart stopped in my arms. Do _not_ tell me what I do and do not know!"

Count to ten and take a deep breath, she tells herself. She gulps, opening her eyes to find him pacing, stalking back and forth, back and forth, and it feels more like she's counting down until he explodes.

"I wasn't done yet," she says, going for a calmer approach. "I've been told more times than I can count I don't get pack mentality or whatever and I'm not trying to. But…you're an Alpha- you're Hayley's Alpha. As far as I get it, she's part of your pack and she feels like she failed you and don't even get me started about how wrong that is. It's _not_ her fault your son died. It's _not_ her fault she got caught in the crossfire of your war. She's sitting here with nowhere else to go, waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for _you_ to disown or excommunicate her or whatever it is you wolves do. She's terrified waiting for your judgment, Klaus, and that's hardly fair _especially_ if you ever want a chance to do this again!"

He stops dead in his tracks and turns his head to look at her slowly. As soon as his tortured eyes find hers, caressing her gently while piercing straight to her heart, Caroline drops her gaze to her entwined hands and begins to wring them in her lap- her last words had fallen from her lips before she could stop them.

"You think I want to do this again?"

Klaus' voice is so quiet Caroline has to strain to hear it despite her vampiric hearing abilities. She shyly looks up at him from under her lashes, hoping to hide the sheen of tears she can feel building up in her eyes. "I don't know," she whispers just as quietly. "I just thought…." Caroline trails off momentarily and folds under the pressure of Klaus' stare; even if it isn't malicious, it's still unbelievably demanding. "Okay, I get you don't exactly want to jump back into bed and get… and get someone else pregnant right now but…what if, you know, in the future after all this is over you decide… you want to try again?"

The hybrid just keeps staring at her as if she has eight heads and if the situation were different and the subject not as heavy, Caroline likes to think he would scoff, roll his eyes at her foolish ramblings, and call her naïve. But he just stands there quietly, watching and waiting for a further explanation from her, which just makes Caroline feel even more exposed to him. She swallows and takes a deep breath to prepare herself for what she's about to say- he's always known that she has strange, unresolved and unsurfaced feelings for him, that there's something there and it's taken Caroline a lot longer to come to a realization that she, indeed, does feel _something_ for Klaus and what she's about to admit is the closest she has ever come to admitting that directly to him.

"Because she… Hayley …she can give you something I can't," she chokes out in a quiet, meek whisper.

Her confession is met with silence and it weighs her heart down for reasons Caroline can't entirely explain. She knows that part of loving someone means you want what's best for them, what makes them happy even if it's not you and she's no stranger to rejection but that doesn't mean it's not cold. She begins to nod her head but she feels calloused fingers grip her chin, stilling her miniscule movements with a gentle but persistent pressure. Opening her eyes, Caroline finds herself face to face with the hybrid, his warm breath spilling from his lips and crawling across her skin.

"No," he growls. "She can't."

The edge in his voice sends a chill running down Caroline's spine but it does little to hide the pain there. They stare at eachother for a few more moments as a strange sense of relief courses through every vein and artery in her body.

But his glance softens before he drops her chin and straightens, turning to leave the room with long, agitated strides. Caroline sighs when the door to his room slams and echoes around the house. She turns the TV off and Mac MacGuff's words float through her brain as she flips the light switch and heads up to her own room.

_"The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you the right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with."_

* * *

She creeps into the hall on her last night in New Orleans; it's late, nearly two in the morning, and she can't sleep. So she slinks through the townhouse, careful of the aged wooden floors and she remembers her high school days- sneaking out and then back in to avoid her mother, often not in the least bit sober. Here, in a house with the Originals, she definitely wouldn't be reprimanded for being caught but she could only imagine the look on Elijah's or Rebekah's face if they realized where she was going.

Caroline comes to the door and turns the knob slowly, squeezing through a crack when she can manage. The room is freezing cold (like, cold enough for Caroline to cross her arms over her chest against the chill) and pitch dark but she can make out a lump in the abnormally large king-sized bed. There isn't any movement coming from underneath the covers and Caroline can't make out either exhale or inhale but she can hear a slow thump of a dead-undead heartbeat.

"Klaus?" she whispers as she comes to stand at the edge of the bed, peering at him, trying to discern if he's actually asleep or not. She hasn't been in there two minutes when she decides she's going to turn around and pretend she like never was in here in the first place. She feels so young, like she's sneaking into her mom's room after waking up from a nightmare; but she's eighteen, not eight, and this is the Original hybrid, not her mom.

"Caroline?"

She lets out a breath of relief as she looks down to see him peering up at her through the darkness. Caroline smiles at him sheepishly. "Sorry if I woke you up."

He shakes his head and pulls himself into a sitting position against the headboard, the bedding pooling around his hips and exposing his lean chest. "Is everything alright, sweetheart?"

"I can't sleep."

Klaus smirks and gestures to his left. Caroline smiles shyly and gets ready to climb in beside him but she hesitates. The hybrid raises an eyebrow when she bites down on her bottom lip, eyeing the bed before she looks back at him. "Are you naked?" she blurts and he laughs. "Seriously! I'm not about to climb into bed with you and deal with your awkward boner all night."

With a wolfish grin, Klaus suddenly yanks the covers back and Caroline rushes to cover her eyes with a squeak- she doesn't want to see his... what did he call it? Oh, yeah. His _equipment_. She may be aware of her still-growing feelings for him and she can_ definitely_ appreciate his body, the lean muscle rippling under his skin, biceps and abs, tattoos and necklaces. That, she has _no_ problem with- Klaus is hot and they both know it. But nudity is a door she's nowhere near ready to open. Although, if what she's seen is anything to go by, Caroline's sure that his equipment (once again, Klaus' words, not hers) is…

Well. You get the idea.

He chuckles and Caroline peeks through her fingers to see his brief-clad lower half. "Completely covered," he says, his grin impish and Caroline drops her hand; she climbs in beside him, both of them very much in the middle of the bed, and once she's situated on her side, she elbows him in the gut because he's the most obnoxious person she's _ever_ met. He has the decency to let out an 'oof' and rub the spot she hit even if it is a tad bit mocking. "Easy on the goods, love."

Caroline rolls her eyes and pulls her legs into her body, resting one of her arms underneath her head. Klaus pulls the blankets up over them before assuming a similar position. They stare at eachother for a few minutes in comfortable silence and Caroline snuggles deeper into the mattress, burrows in the blankets that smell like pine and leather, hard liquor and pencil shavings.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asks.

"I already told you. I can't sleep." Klaus nods and Caroline presses her lips together. "You can kick me out if you want…you looked like you were asleep and I didn't me-"

Klaus' finger presses against her lips to stop her rambling before it even begins. "I wasn't asleep."

She smiles against his finger and nods. "So," she starts once he pulls his hand away. "How are you?"

"Much better now I have your unexpected company for some late night pillow talk," he says with a smirk and Caroline rolls her eyes, her smile falling from her face.

"Seriously. How are you doing?" He rolls half a body away from her so he's on his back, looking up into the darkness to avoid her question but Caroline isn't having it. She reaches out and grasps his arm. "Don't hide from me, Klaus," she begs but her voice falls on deaf ears. At least that's what it seems like and Caroline sighs, rolling onto her back in exasperation.

"What do you want me to say?"

His voice is strained when he finally speaks and a small smile creeps across Caroline's face. She schools it quickly lest he see it and blow things out of proportion, or feel as if she's laughing at him in his moment of vulnerability.

"Whatever you want to," she whispers, turning her face to look at his handsome profile.

Klaus stays where he is, blue gaze fixed on anything but her. "Love is a weakness, Caroline. One I can't afford."

Caroline's quiet, letting his hard voice and broken words hang in the air for a moment as they sink in and break her heart. Not because it would seem like he's giving up on her, on them, but because the tone of his voice makes her think he's forcing this belief on himself and she supposes he is, that he's constantly reminding himself of this because love-which is supposed to be a good thing, a happy thing- has only ever hurt the shattered man lying beside her.

It breaks her heart because he doesn't know any better and is too scared to try to correct his wayward position on love.

So, she rolls back onto her side and looks at his profile.

"No," she corrects in a firm whisper. "It's a strength."

He turns his head to pierce her with an accusatory glare and Caroline can see the words- the denial and the self-loathing- bubbling on his lips. Before he can voice them, Caroline places her finger on his full lips. "Don't," is all she says and he turns away once more. Caroline swallows and trails her hand down his bicep to find his own hand and laces her fingers through his, squeezing in soft reassurance. "Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not true."

"And who does see it?" he murmurs and Caroline thinks he meant for the words to come out much more sardonically and disbelieving than they did but here in the darkness with no one but her to see it, his defenses crumble underneath her gentle words and touch.

"Elijah. Rebekah. Hayley. Marcel. Sophie." She pauses and takes a deep breath. "Me."

Her words are met with the sound of his breathing and nothing more so Caroline inches closer to him, closing the small amount of space, the inches of cold mattress and bed covers that separate them. "Love is _your_ strength, Klaus. You can't hide from it, you can't escape it so don't. Stop trying. Learn to accept it instead of wield it."

"I can't."

"No. You_ can_," Caroline insists. "No one ever said it would be easy or that it wouldn't hurt or be fair but it's worth it. You are so loved and you can't even let yourself see it. Your siblings-"

"No. They swear their loyalty when it's convenient for them. They'd leave me at a moments notice."

"Then why are they still here with you? Why did Elijah call me out of desperation to come down here and help you? Why did Rebekah come here after the summer? As angry or upset as they get with you they _still_ love you. They have always loved you- no matter what- and, at the end of the day, they are the ones who will have stood by you and seen you through to whatever end this all comes to," she whispers, watching him try to swallow the lump in his throat. "You owe it to them to try, Klaus. Pull through this, get yourself together and fix your family- the one you have now, the one you'll _always_ have. Show them that you care- you don't have to change who you are completely, no one is asking you to do that. You just have to show them that you do care, you can love, you can be their brother." She takes a deep breath. "You did it for me… you should be more than able to do it for them."

"And what about you?"

Caroline squeezes her eyes shut. She should have known he would ask where she stood, where she is in regards to their 'one day'- _especially_ after her admission the other night. She feels the tears burn her eyes as she presses her lips into a tight smile. "I'm here, aren't I?" She leaves off the imposing _'for now'_, not really wanting to face it herself and not wanting to remind Klaus that her presence is temporary and fleeting.

Klaus rolls again, this time so his back is facing her and Caroline sighs- whether it's in pity or exasperation she doesn't know. But then she sees a very slight, almost non-existent tremor in the tense muscles of his broad shoulders and back and Caroline realizes that he has finally, after two and a half months of torturing and shutting himself off and descending deeper into recklessness, broken down.

The emotion has become too much for even the almighty Klaus Mikaelson to handle and mask, to lock up inside himself where he thinks it can never escape.

She drapes her arm over his slim waist and hugs him to her tightly, her small frame melting into the contours of his body to let him know he isn't alone.

He doesn't make a sound and Caroline's not entirely sure if he's even crying or anything but she holds him close regardless, stroking the his hair behind the shell of his ear and burying her nose into his shoulder while they lay there in the darkness and let it go.

* * *

She still leaves in the morning. Not even the slow, comfortable wake up she gets as Klaus' hand trails up and down her spine, lulling her in and out of sleep while she's tucked securely into his chest with tangled limbs underneath the burrow of the down comforter and silk sheets could stop her. Not even the lazy hour they spend in bed after she wakes surrounded by _him_- his warmth, his comfort, his scent.

It's a silent ride to the airport, Klaus driving her this time. She thinks part of him is hoping she'll change her mind so he can turn around and take her back to his house. And if Caroline is being truthful, she's not entirely ready to go home. She doesn't want to. She likes New Orleans- just like Klaus had said she would. She wants to stay and explore the city. She wants to meet all the people she's heard about over the past few days- the followers Klaus has gained- wolves, witches, and the few vampires alike. She wants to immerse herself in the culture- both human and supernatural- that exists in the eclectic city.

But, most of all, she's not ready to leave him. She's one step closer to stepping through that threshold for all eternity but it still scares her. It terrifies her to think of forever so soon- she's not even two-years-old in vampire terms. There are so many variables that could change, there's so much change that is going to take place- both within her and in the world around her and it's just overwhelming to think about.

Caroline knows though. She knows that she wants him as a constant through all the change- whether it's as friends, acquaintances, or lovers she's not sure. Could she love Klaus? She cares, oh how she cares about him but… _love? _

_Forever?_

(See what she means? It's a _huge_ commitment, much more than a marriage.)

Maybe. She'd like to think she could but she's not sure. She knows that they can't try until he fixes things with his family first, or at least until they are better. They're what truly matters; they've been _his_ constant and Klaus will always need them. He will always love them in his strange, twisted definition of the word. All the underlying issues won't be fixed or resolved, she figures there's simply too much animosity (lots of it petty and childish) between the three of them not to just push some of it away and let it be water under the bridge but it's going to get better. He's not going to get better, or change entirely, no that would be impossible and, quite frankly, Caroline doesn't want him to lose the edge that makes him _Klaus_- the fine line he walks between charming gentleman and evil predator that makes him so incredibly lethal.

Besides, redemption doesn't mean 'changed'.

It means improved, atonement, reclamation, salvaged.

_"No. It's because you're hurt. Which means there is a part of you that is human."_

_"How could you possibly think that?"_

_"Because I've seen it. Because I've caught myself wishing I could forget all the horrible things you've done."_

_"But you can't, can you?"_

She won't ever forget, per se, and neither will his siblings. Heck, there will still be horrible things to come from his hands and of his own volition but he wears his shame, his self-loathing, his guilt.

He can't change. Not entirely, at least. Nor can they forget all of it.

But they can forgive if he gives them enough reason to, if he can show them he's worth it and Caroline knows he can because, and this is Klaus' tragedy, he wants so _desperately_ to be loved and cared for despite everything but, blinded by pain and rage and the crippling loneliness it's brought him, he hasn't realized that he is loved, he is cared for. And those people are the ones who will love him through _everything_ even if they don't show it all the time, even if he can't always reciprocate it.

That's what family is, afterall, Caroline supposes.

The bottom line is Klaus _does_ love. It's reserved for a _very_ select few people and, perhaps, he loves more than they all do put together. He just doesn't remember how.

_"Anyone capable of love is capable of being saved."_

She remembers, vaguely and fleetingly as if it were a dream, how uncomfortable he got when she spoke in a raspy voice, her throat dry thanks to his venom coursing through her veins. She remembers how the tears filled his eyes as he tried to compose himself, heighten his defenses so her words couldn't penetrate them but it was almost as if she could feel his pain, searing hot and blinding against her own, burning her in ways his toxin couldn't. It was as if no one had ever pointed out to him before that he can and does love, that he does so _so_ strongly that when it's not requited the way he wants it to be, it destroys him.

Like she already told him, he doesn't have to change who he is- he needs to change what he believes about himself- despicable and unlovable- about others in his life, about love. The way it's come about has been terrible and awful but, as far as she can tell, Klaus has been pushed in the right direction.

That, Caroline has to believe.

The SUV rolls to a stop and Klaus puts the car in park while Caroline just stares straight ahead, trying to prolong this as long as possible. They're first 'goodbye', while meaningful to her, had been all on Klaus; but this one? This one is all on Caroline.

"Ready, love?" his lilt breaks through her scattered thoughts and Caroline turns, giving him a small smile and a nod before climbing out of the car. Klaus pulls her luggage out and sets it on the sidewalk at her side before leaning against his car with crossed arms. "Elijah said he took care of your requirements for school like you asked."

"Well, tell him 'thank you' and that I really appreciate it."

Klaus nods and watches her, his intense gaze lingering over her like a gentle caress- as if he's trying to commit every aspect to memory. "You better run along, sweetheart."

Her sassy smirk fades and Caroline bites the inside of her mouth as her eyes flit to the ground between them.

"I don't wanna go," she admits quietly, looking up at him from under her lashes. She closes the space between them and leans into his chest, hiding her face in his shirt. She breathes him in, a comfortable scent that makes her feel loved and adored and safe, _cared for_ and Klaus rests his chin atop her head, embracing her without really doing so.

"Then don't."

His words are a whisper as he presses his lips to the straw colored curls adorning the crown of her head and they make Caroline's heart hurt.

"But I have to. I have my life and you have yours," her words are muffled but she knows he hears because he lets out an exasperated sigh and Caroline turns her head to look up at him as he nods stiffly.

"Until one day, then?" he asks, forcing a smirk and Caroline smiles, no more than a tiny quirk at the corners of her mouth.

She raises a hand to cup his cheek and lifts herself up on tiptoes, letting her lips meet his, gentle and promising, warm and lingering, slow and passionate and Klaus melts and kisses her back softly but just for a moment before Caroline pulls away.

"It might be closer than you think," she confesses quietly in a shaky voice, bowing her head and resting her forehead against his chin before looking up to see his smile. There aren't any teeth on display and there's still a longing sadness in the blue wells of his eyes but it's real. It's genuine. And it's for her.

"I'll be waiting, sweetheart. Always."

* * *

It's about a month or so after Caroline's departure that Elijah happens upon a curious sight.

He's walking through the dimly lit halls of the townhouse, straightening misplaced objects and turning off lights before retiring for the evening- petty things, really but the streets and supernatural inhabitants of the French Quarter are deathly silent as they prepare for war. He goes to shut a door that's been left slightly ajar and as sadness comes over him as he grasps the chilled handle, drifting like an unwelcome fog and resting on his shoulders. His lips draw into a tight line and he releases a small breath before opening the door further and wandering into the room no one has been in for months. But Elijah's surprised to find he's not alone in what would have been his nephew's nursery. Klaus is standing with his back facing the door, the moonlight elongating his shadow on the floor.

"Evening, Brother," Klaus greets quietly before Elijah can make his retreat.

He's at a loss of words. He'd never expected his callous brother to come in here- it'd been enough of a chore to convince the hybrid to simply paint the walls a pale grey. "Forgive my intrusion, Niklaus. I didn't think anyone was in here."

Klaus only nods, keeping his back to Elijah and, for some reason, Elijah finds himself venturing forwards instead of backwards. When he's standing shoulder to shoulder with the hybrid, Elijah sees the smallest flicker of a smile fading from his brother's lips and dimpled cheeks.

They fall into an easy silence, watching the moonlight dance across the layer of dust coating the deep brown wood of the crib. Elijah isn't quite sure what to expect or do next. He rarely feels awkward around his siblings- vexed, exasperated, irritated, yes. But rarely ever awkward and he doesn't quite know how to proceed. There are so many things he wants to confess but he can't quite bring himself to let the words fall from his lips and cross the void between them. There's so much pain, anger, and betrayal between he and his brother he's almost concerned bringing up the most recent topic of contention will cause his wayward brother to regress once more when he seems to, finally, be at a place where he can at least confront the most recent tragedy to befall their family.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Niklaus. I truly am," Elijah says when he finds his voice.

"As am I."

It's quiet and even with his enhanced sensory abilities, Elijah's not entirely sure he's heard correctly but Klaus looks up at him with a gentle and lost look in the depths of his eyes and Elijah wishes he had the ability to take this burden from his brother. It's something he'll carry with him for the rest of eternity, one more load on his shoulders that Elijah hadn't been able to shield him from; one more place he'd failed his younger brother. He holds Niklaus' gaze for a moment longer and for the smallest of instances he thinks the hybrid is going to give in to the vulnerability that's clouding his blue-green orbs, eating at his conscious.

But he swallows it and Elijah sighs, his gaze returning the view out of the window above the unused crib.

"Nothing's changed, however," Klaus speaks again. "_We_ still have a kingdom to reclaim."

Elijah looks up at his younger brother again and sees the look on his face has only become determined.

By the look in his expressive eyes alone, Elijah can hear the hesitant and unspoken question and for the smallest of moments he can see him- the eager child whom he'd taught to wield a sword, to whittle, to nock an arrow against a bow much too large for him. He saw the young man who had skirted around Mikael's fists and rage to the best of his abilities, the shocked and frightened look in his eyes when Elijah had physically retaliated to Klaus' interest in Tatia. He saw the man who had cowered at the sight of his own shadow and clung to both him and Rebekah in the brief periods of lucidity he was granted for those tortuous fifty-two years, four months, nine days and twelve hours. He saw the man he had schemed and laughed with over their Sun and Moon Curse. He saw the man who he had, on countless occasions, sat with in utter, companionable silence with nothing but a crystal tumbler in hand and a fond eye, watching as his brother's charcoal-blackened hand drifted across a blank page.

He saw the man he called brother.

He saw his Nik.

Elijah had seen the small smile that graced his brother's lips when Niklaus thought he had stopped watching. He'd known from the time his brother had uttered his first nonchalant acceptance of having a child. That night in Lafayette Cemetery, Elijah knew his brother would one day recognize the instinct and pair it with the dormant and dusty emotion and they would all come out for the better.

No, things aren't better, per se. Not in the slightest, but motivated by the smallest glimpses of the humanity that still, miraculously, after a millenia of frustration and betrayal, resides in his brother, it's a battle Elijah will gladly partake in.

"And we will, brother. Together."

The briefest beginnings of a smirk tug the corner of Niklaus' lips upwards, disappearing before it reaches his dimples.

Returning the gesture just as briefly, Elijah clasps his brother's shoulder in his grip and squeezes tightly before he turns to leave the hybrid alone with thoughts Elijah knows he's not ready to share.

However, he's surprised to hear Niklaus turn and follow him, the door of the nursery clicking shut in their wake.

**A/N 2.0: drowning in feels? I know I am.**

**Again, I just wanted to say thank you so much for being so patient with this. I know Klayley/Hayley is certainly not everyone's cup of tea but I really appreciate those of you who put up with her for the sake of the story. I hope this huge chunk of Klaroline interaction made up for it. And I also hope some of you now realize that, while it would be the catalyst, I don't think the baby in and of itself is Klaus' 'redemption'. He is much too damaged for that to be the sole reason he betters himself. _The Originals_ isn't about Klaus becoming a dad and falling in love with his baby mama. Hayley will play an important part but, in the grand scheme of things, it's about family. We all love the Originals because of their twisted bond that's stood strong, more or less, for 1,000 years. Them learning to rekindle that love, that 'always and forever' promise is what the show is about...with a pretty awesome looking power struggle thrown in the mix.**

**Anywho, I'll stop talking before I get even more carried away. This not over, don't worry. There will be an epilogue...with Klaroline. I just have to get around to writing it. And the few companion pieces I have planned tehe.**

**Thanks for reading, loves! Please review if you have a minute:) **

**Also, if you're planning on watching, enjoy the season premieres of TVD and TO this week! I'm beside myself with excitement!**


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